The Coldest Days
by CassandraxRowan
Summary: This is Annabel's story. A tale of lonliness, happiness, temptation and heartache. Alright, so i'm terrible at summaries. Just read, kay? VampxHuman. title and rating may/maynot change
1. Chapter 1: The Music

Chapter 1: The Music

The Minnesota air blasted my arms, even through my black hoodie. Through my grey sock hat, I felt the chill sweep into my chin-length brunette hair. Involuntarily I shuddered as I left the Mall of America far behind.

I clambered on the bus, weighted with my heavy Hot Topic bags. I had just spent two weeks worth of pay from McDonalds on vampire t-shirts, black nail polish, and a new set of wristbands. My best friend, Raven, skulked up the stairs behind me similarly loaded. Faintly I could hear the guitar of Avenged Sevenfold wailing from her ear buds. We knocked past an old lady who protectively clutched her purse and gave us 'the glare' and averted our eyes from a couple who looked ready to rip off each others' clothes there publicly- nope. Strike that. The girl was tugging off her shirt now.

Finally we found the back of the bus, empty of passengers, and sat down. Without bothering to ask, I reached across Raven and grabbed her right ear bud, stubbornly sticking it in my ear. Her green eyes looked at me, amusement in their black-lined depths. I smiled apologetically, my own black tinted lips curving upwards. She brushed back her black hair (her namesake) and looked straight out of the window, mouthing the lyrics. My head, in turn, focused on the front of the bus where passengers were still boarding.

A Chinese man, dressed in a suit, texted on his blackberry. A mother, frazzled looking, clung to her five-year-old son who goggled at the couple still making out. The mother flushed and pushed him along; making sure their seat faced the opposite direction when she finally made him calm down. My eyes looked back at the people still coming like waves into the bus. Our solitude in the back wouldn't last long, I was sure. Then, as soon as the noise became unbearable, the people stopped. I watched the front seat warily, wondering if it was hiding another person…. Then, I saw him.

He boarded the bus with a grace long since pushed out of this world. The dazzling blue eyes, like sapphires, glowed as he surveyed the bus. His black hoodie sported a Korn logo, complete with what looked like the bands' signatures in silver. My eyes traveled down of their own accord, looking at his lightly ripped jeans, not designer though. Just worn. An ear bud poked out from underneath his shoulder-length black hair. Those same sapphires I had first noticed passed over me and Raven and I saw acknowledgement within them. Simply from one Goth to another. He passed the couple, showing no sign of recognition at the sounds they were making, even though they were no were near appropriate for a public place. He passed the Chinese man… then the tired mother, and stopped a few seats away. Now closer to him I saw he was tall and lean. Not quite muscular, but something in the way his arms moved hinted at a hidden power.

"Raven," I hissed, elbowing the Goth out of her metal-induced stupor, "Raven!"

"What Annabel? If you want to change the song you can just change it! Don't stab me to death!" she protested moodily.

"Look over there!" I nudged my head in the guy's general direction, hoping she'd get it. She didn't.

"What? The love birds over there, sucking face? I wonder how long they've been going without oxygen… can't be good for their health, can it?" she muttered to herself, turning the music down with a black nailed thumb.

"No! The guy! Listening to music. Goth!" I couldn't help but stare at him again, my breath catching. He was smiling faintly, lost in his music.

Raven's head turned, her eyes searching greedily. Even though she was in love with a girl named Alyce (pronounced Alice like in Alice Cooper) that was her next door neighbor, she still enjoyed looking at guys…. Funny guy vampires mostly, "Well, he looks cool, but you know me. More for the goofiness. He's still cute," she added diplomatically.

"I wonder what he's listening to…" I said to no one in particular.

Raven grabbed my face and turned it back to her. "Oh, _hell_ no! You can't seriously get like this _today_ Annabel! We were having fun! And now you'll get all depressed 'cause he doesn't know you and you'll look for him everywhere and get moody when you don't see him and then-"

I cut her off quickly. She was growing louder and louder, talking faster all the time. "Shhh, Raven! Don't worry! I'll be fine… more than fine actually. I won't fall for him! Seriously. He's just cute," Raven eyed me skeptically. I blushed a little, and looked down quickly. "okay, he's hot… really hot," I tried to infuse my voice with exasperation, but all that came out sounded like an embarrassed teen. Not like a normal nineteen year-old Goth. In a final attempt to show her how annoyed I was becoming, I smacked her arm. She smiled a little. What was I thinking? Violence was her element! She quickly jabbed me back in my ribs. I squeaked involuntarily. She laughed, her hair swinging back with her head. My cheeks grew red again as my hazel eyes flicked to Goth Guy. He stared at us, not looking repentant at all when he saw me staring at him. Quickly, I ducked my head behind the seat and stifled a giggle. Raven finally figured out why I hunched over so quickly and she looked at him.

I waited and waited, but her head never moved. Eventually, I peeked up. She was still watching him… and he her. "Raven!" I hissed at her, my eyes wide. "Raven, stop doing that!" she didn't appear to hear me. I grabbed the top of her arm and pulled downward, throwing all of my weight into it.

"Huh? What?" my best friend blinked, a blank expression on her face. Then it quickly changed to chagrin. "What'd you do that for?"

I looked back up at Goth Guy. He had resumed his previous position… with one exception. He had sunglasses on now. The black shades prevented me from seeing his eyes, whether they were closed or not. Beside me, I felt Raven try to straighten up to see what fascinated me so much. I planted a hand firmly on her back and shoved her back down, following quickly.

"You were staring at him!" I whispered. "It was creepy,"

"I wasn't staring at him! I looked at him for a second before you pulled me down. I hit my head damn it!"

I leaned back from her, my eyes wide. "A second!" I snorted, "Yeah right! Try three of four minutes!"

She backed away. "No way. You're just jealous I had the guts to look back at him!"

"Is there a problem?" I heard a velvet voice behind my head, sending my nerves over the edge.


	2. Chapter 2: The Scent

Chapter 2: The Scent

I jumped, spinning around quickly. "Fu…" I cried as I spun. However the curse died in my throat when my brain processed who was in front of me. Or what. Surely no human could have that face. The strong jaw was eased and relaxed… inviting. His nose was angular, but not so it was unbecoming, it just seemed slightly haughty. Those same shades still covered his eyes, but I was grateful. If this small portion was this beautiful, I didn't want to see his eyes up close. I saved the best part for last though. My eyes traveled down his pale face to his lips, soft and light pink. They had slight feminine curl to them, a self-assured smile twitching them upwards.

"No. No problem at all," I barely registered Raven's voice behind me, so lost was I in his features. I could feel my breathing escalating quickly and my heart pounded unsteadily. His jaw flexed now, slightly, but I could tell.

"Well, I was awful bored over there and I noticed some talking going on. It seems you are the only two on here that aren't screaming, texting, or sexually engaged so…. Mind a talk?" He moved farther back from me as he explained but I still was hit by his breath. Usually one would reel back from some one's breath in their face. I mean, seriously! Onion and garlic salad anyone- hold the salad? But Goth Guy. Ah. It was like the sweetest thing you've ever smelled, mixed with ripe honeysuckle and slightly wilted roses. The perfume was so inviting I leaned in, unthinking. His jaw flexed again right as I felt a hand tug on my shirt, pulling me back.

"Maybe not today then," he answered passively, politely. Suddenly the bus stopped and he brushed past Old Lady, Chinese Guy, and Sucking Face couple with a grace that left me astonished again. He didn't turn around or glance back at us and I was very grateful. If I set my eyes on his face again I would probably scream 'No! Don't go!' like the madwoman I was. On the bright side, maybe I could shock the couple enough to pause the sounds for a second. I had absolutely no hopes for two.

Raven grabbed my arm right after the door of the bus shut. I cried out a little at her grip and she immediately loosened it but still held me. I turned to her, my breathing and heart rate still trying to regulate themselves. "S-Slap me please,"

Without a second thought, her hand came into contact with my cheek. My head snapped in the opposite direction of the bus doors. Gently I laid my fingers on my stinging cheek, unasked tears pooling in my eyes. "Damn. Thanks for that," I said, breathless.

"What the hell? You were throwing yourself at him!" Raven's eyes were wide, shocked. I was surprised myself. I never acted like that! Raven's and mine's reputation was the kind of yin and yang with a fusion in the middle. I usually was the one who spoke up to the teachers, using my good grades and honest expression for explaining trouble to make it so Raven never did anything wrong, while Raven threw the punches and well aimed kicks to the jackasses who dared to make fun of us. Consequently I stayed in the shadows of the hallway, flinching away from and questioning any boy who talked to me. Never was I this daring!

"I really don't know Raven," I said, shaking my head slightly. I leaned back into my seat. Raven reached out for my arm and I let her. We were so close in each other's minds we knew when one of us was in trouble. Right now the bus was spinning faintly. I assumed it was from the shock of losing so much beauty so quickly. "His smell. His breath was… amazing,"

"So you fell for minty-freshness?" Raven snickered hesitantly. She knew I was still not up to joking about it so lightly. This was new for us.

I tried to smile for my friend… my spirit sister as we called ourselves in the good old days of eleven and twelve. "Not really, Rave. It was incredible. Indescribable. Like too sweet and just… oh it was the best thing you've ever smelled multiplied by a thousand! I couldn't help it! I was drawn in like a fly to a light," I closed my eyes tightly before admitting my secret and whispered it so quietly I thought she wouldn't hear me. "I want it back. I want _him_ back. He's so beautiful, like a fairy, an elf in Lord of the Rings. God, it's so hopeless!"

Raven wrapped her small arms around me and willingly I hugged her back. Then after a few minutes of silence, I sat up straight again. "Our stop's next. Let's go show Alyce our stuff," I smiled falsely. Raven knew me and didn't smile back. But we rose and she paused her iPod that had blasted in or ears totally forgotten until now. I stiffened when I realized what song had been playing. 'Teardrops on my Guitar' by Taylor Swift.

"Why do you still have this on here?" I asked, gesturing to her iPod. "You hate Taylor Swift after… well… your first and last boyfriend!"

"Don't you ever mention Damian again! That fucking jackass! A whole damn year and he just thinks he can break it off like that! Fuck him!" she said, her green eyes flashing with hurt and betrayal.

"Hey, easy Rave. He never deserved you anyway. He's an ass. I just wondered why!"

Raven ducked her head. "It's still a good song… and I forgot to take it off."

I laughed a bit and grabbed my bags. The bus stopped a block from our street and slowly we stepped off. The old lady clutched her purse again. Chinese guy forgot to look up… of course. Little Boy and Frazzle Mom watched us, one hyperactively waving 'bye' and the other warily monitoring us. Sucking Face couple just moaned into each other's mouths. Yuck. I ignored all, thinking only of Goth Guy and what he was thinking now. What he was doing. What he was listening to.


	3. Chapter 3: The House

Chapter 3: The House

Raven and I walked… okay, with the weight of the bags, we stumbled our way to Raven's house. I kept my eyes down, focusing on one foot in front of the other. The chill locked my fingers in their position so when I wanted to set my load down for a second, I couldn't unhook my fingers. My feet kept shuffling, and every now and then, Raven and I would exchange a joke or two. As we approached Raven's house, an old, slightly run-down, two story building, Raven suddenly let out a squeal and dropped her bags, running toward something. I sighed a bit and trudged on, knowing what was going on.

"Hey, Annabel" I heard a familiar voice say in front of me. "Want help?" I looked up at an eighteen year-old girl with short, spiky blonde hair in a faux hawk and an easy smile. I smiled back.

"Yes, actually!" I moved my left arm with effort and she took two bags from my three arm load. I sighed happily as I moved my arm back and forth, savoring the feel of the lost weight before putting another bag on it. "Thanks so much, Alyce. You're a lifesaver. Again." she laughed.

"Alyce!" Raven whined a bit from behind me. I smiled broadly before lightly rolling my eyes at Alyce. She laughed back, her blue eyes flashing, and quickly hurried to Raven's side. "I know what you did, by the way!" Raven directed at me.

I turned around to her an apologetic smile on my face. "It was a joke! Sorry!"

"Ah, whatever. Let's get into the house before we freeze!" Raven laughed a bit, handing Alyce another of her bags. "Thanks love." She said softly. And they started to move… I was already gone by the time she got to 'get'. I hated the cold; being born in Kentucky never prepared me for the weather. My mom and dad had moved up to the 'Twin-Cities' when I was six, looking for a job with more pay. My mom went to work as an accountant in a big shipping company while my dad worked as a teacher for a few years before retiring to be a writer. I reached the door, my arms throbbing. I turned the knob slowly, slipping every few seconds. When the door opened I instantly threw my bags into the hallway, ignoring the loud thud. My numb fingers grabbed my soaking wet boots. As my right foot entered the air though, my left slipped. I fell down, landing hard on my butt.

"Shit," I muttered. I suddenly heard laughing behind me. I wheeled around to face the doorway, scowling at Raven and Alyce, who conveniently appeared the second I fell. "Shut the hell up!" I said, keeping my voice low because of Raven's dad. He was in his mid-sixties and kind, but still had a temper that could shake mountains if something rattled him. The thing that stood out to me the most about him though was his eyes. The grey-blue eyes that always shown with a warm glow never faded, even after his wife's death when Raven was thirteen. He was a writer too, but sometimes did random jobs for his neighbors like painting a room or fixing a roof and such.

Alyce walked into the house and put down her load where mine had landed. "Sorry. You looked hilarious though!" She offered her hand to me and I accepted, pulling myself up.

Raven walked in then, copying Alyce's movements exactly. It was almost scary how they did that, saying the same things, doing the same things, and they didn't even think about it! I could tell their souls were entwined together, even if others missed it. They were both my friends, Raven was truly my sister. She was the one I came to with everything, and then Alyce knew more than most about me, either from Raven or from me. If I had a problem and couldn't find Rave, then I would immediately track down Alyce. I looked out the door quickly before it shut, taking a last glance at the spring trees before spending a few hours indoors. However I thought I saw a glimpse of a blue eyes and black hair before the door shut.

Immediately I rose, slipping slightly in my sock feet. I rushed to the door, hitting it in my hurry. My fingers pried open the door once more though, and I ran wildly onto the sidewalk, shuddering convulsively at the cold air like a solid wall I had to step through. Frantic eyes searched along the street, both ways. I turned and turned, spinning, frantically searching for him. Tears welled up in my eyes when the street was deserted. I turned once more to face the door, tears running freely down my face. Raven and Alyce stood in the doorway once more, holding hands and looking shocked.

"I-I thought I s-saw him," I choked out. Raven flung herself out of the doorway at me, embracing me tightly.

"Who?" Alyce looked at us blankly. I forgot we hadn't got a chance to tell her yet.

"Uh, well," I sniffed and pulled myself away from Raven. She looked at me, concerned and a little rejected. I grabbed her wrist lightly, letting her know it wasn't her that I pulled away from. We hurried back into the house. My socks were soaked all the way through and my toes were numb. "Come on, let's go into Raven's room. I'll explain everything there." Raven tugged her wrist away from me gently and entwined her fingers with Alyce's. I knew they would walk up together so I ran up the stairs and opened Raven's door myself.

Raven's room was a lot different from what the normal person would think. It had a few random posters of black dragons and rock bands, but for the most part it was serene. The walls were painted a light green, and the floor was made of bamboo wood. The bed under the window was low to the ground. The light colored wood table and the purple bean bag in the corner were the only furnishings. Personally, I thought it was the perfect room for my friend. After a long day of being shunned, ridiculed, and persecuted, always getting into fights with teachers and other students, it was great to lie back in this Asian-tinted room and read a few books.

This place was usually our headquarters. After Raven's mom died, her house was the most quiet and her dad had the foresight not to disturb three adolescents that dyed their hair black and listened to heavy metal bands. So we usually met here after school for a few hours before splitting up to eat at our own houses. I sat on the center of the table so I could be easily seen. Raven and Alyce came in a few seconds after me and Raven sat on the bean bag beside me so she could easily be within arm's reach. This was a strange tale, and the fact that Goth Guy had affected me so much in such a short time made it even worse. Alyce sat Indian-style on the bed, facing us. I took a deep breath before taking the plunge.

"Raven and I had just boarded the bus after shopping at the 'Moa'" What the locals in Minnesota called the Mall of America. "And we sat down close to the back. After a while I looked up and saw 'Goth Guy.' He was tall, with a black hoodie and long black hair. He looked around the bus for a seat and sat close to us. I showed Raven him and we talked a bit about him. Then I looked back at him and he was staring at us! So I ducked my head under the seat like a kid and giggled. Raven looked at Goth Guy and she never moved! She kept staring at him with these big eyes so I pulled her down. She blinked her eyes like she was coming out of a dream. She thought she had stared at him for a second when it had really been more like three minutes! We argued for a bit, then he appeared like, right behind me! He was so beautiful! Better than a supermodel!" I sighed heavily, looking down at my hands, "He wondered if he could sit and talk with us for a bit… but he was so close to my face I could smell his breath,"

Alyce wrinkled her nose. "Eww. That sounds terrible! Onion breath?" She laughed.

"No! Not at all!" I shook my head back and forth rapidly, giving myself a small headache. "It was the best thing you've ever smelled, multiplied by a million!"

"You told me a thousand!" Raven half-teased half-accused me, looking up at me from the bean bag. She had her favourite Jack Skellington doll in her lap. Alyce had a blue dragon pressed to her chest.

I laughed without humor. "It's more like a million."

"_Damn,_" they said in unison. I smiled. Alyce giggled and Raven joined in.

"Like a rope was tied around my hand, I reached for Goth Guy's face. I just wanted to be near his face, closer to him. I wanted it more than I've ever wanted anything!" My audience stared at me, transfixed. My heart felt strangled at this point. My lungs struggled to take in air just at the thought of never seeing him. "And then he walked away and it's felt like a piece of my soul was ripped away with him too…" The room spun darkly and I tipped a bit. Fighting the feeling of nausea in my gut, I made my way to Raven's bed and crawled over to the window.

The promising spring suddenly seemed bleak and cold. Surely the trees were gray now. Surely the new foliage growing among their branches was pale and sickly. Then, in the shadow of the house down the street, I thought I saw a pair of stunning blue eyes. My heart skipped a small bit, but as suddenly as I saw it, it faded away. I rested my head against the cool windowpane. "I lied to you Raven. I said I wouldn't fall for him… I think I have."

Two sets of arms wrapped around my waist, trying to comfort me. I sighed as I turned to embrace them back. We stayed together there, in a small huddle, just trying to lift the dark shadow that suddenly hung over this room.

"It doesn't have to be love." Raven suggested after awhile. "You could just be infatuated with him… ya know… lust?" Her voice sounded so pitiful! And when I looked at her face she didn't have any hope on her face at all. We knew. Yes, we all knew. I had given yet another piece of my heart away. That small heart that I really had no business giving away anyway. It had already been broken so many times. Chipped away and bleached in the continuous onslaught of my tears. I had nothing left. Raven, Alyce, and now Goth Guy were now the only holders of my heart… and how could I trust Goth Guy to take care of it?

"Yes, it does, Rave. It sounds totally crazy, but that time on the bus- short as it was- made me feel safe and… whole. I have this heart that opens up without my permission and lets people in that have no business being there! It's my continuous regret. The worst possible curse," I wiped a stray tear form my face. Suddenly I had a thought. No, not a thought. An epiphany! A rare scrap of light in my bleak, black life!

"Well, you're right about your thought. At least part way! This feeling doesn't have to rule my life! I'll just go on like nothing happened on that bus… because nothing did! I'll just ignore it! Yes. Just ignore it all!"

"Is that wise?" Alyce asked quietly. "I know I'm not a shrink or anything… but couldn't it do more damage than help if you keep it inside? You just said you have no control over your emotions. That means that if you let it be a flesh wound- a cut on the face- that everyone knows about and can treat, it could eventually go away. But if you let it go deeper and ignore it then it can get infected, make you sick and eventually… well… it does more damage than good," Alyce laid a hand on my shoulder, her eyes concerned.

"What else can I do? Mope around for a guy I'll never see again?" I asked desperately, my eyes traveling out of the window. It was starting to grow dark. I needed to go home soon.

"Well, he did say, 'not to today then,' before he left. That didn't mean forever. He could ride the bus every day," Raven suggested, trying to sound optimistic for once. Alyce slapped her arm, giving her a glare. "What?" Raven fussed back, then she looked down and muttered, "I was just trying to cheer her up."

"Not anymore, Rave. The way I behaved, he was just trying to be nice and not hurt our feelings. He won't ride that bus ever again. I scared him and that only brings him up more and me down to the ground." I sighed once more before moving to the edge of the bed. "Come on, it's almost dark. I need to get home."

I rose and walked to the doorway. Alyce leaned back to Raven and said, "Yeah, me too," Then in a lower tone, "I'll call you later, love. Bye." She kissed Raven's cheek and we walked out of the room. I grabbed my bags and walked back into the freezing cold Minnesota air. The cold air hit me once again like a wall, but it gave me a chance to concentrate on it instead of Goth Guy. I walked across the street to my house, conveniently right in front of Raven's. Alyce simply had to turn right as she walked out the door… lucky.

Oh well. I didn't mind too much. The light faded away when I set foot in my front door. My parents were on a date tonight… the symphony was a big deal to them. So I grabbed a bag of chips and a coke as I passed the kitchen on my way to the stairs. Like Raven, I was an only child so the house was quiet as I climbed wearily up the steps. I thought I heard a creak behind me on the stairs.

Instantly I wheeled, expecting a burglar or that kid form 'The Grudge.' I breathed a sigh of relief when it was my old black cat… actually Raven's and mine's. We were walking around in the park one of the first days we were friends when I still thought of Kentucky as my home. Suddenly we heard a pathetic mewl from behind a tree. We found a tiny black kitten huddled up against the semi-chilly air. Immediately we christened him Erik from Erik in Phantom of the Opera and took him home. Raven's house was officially his home, but he changed depending on which wanted him… or which one he felt he needed to be with. I wasn't surprised that he showed up at my house tonight. I would welcome him in my bed tonight. There was something strange about the satisfaction of falling asleep with a cat's purr in your ear.

"Hey Erik. You scared me! Come on up." He looked at me, then at the door of the kitchen, and back at me. A little mewl escaped from him. He looked totally confused for once in his life. "What's up, Erik? Surprised to be caught?" I hurried into my room and put my food down, then turned and ran down the stairs. Scooping Erik up in my arms, I made my way into my room, shutting the door once I walked in.


	4. Chapter 4: The Dream

Chapter 4: The Dream

Slowly I muddled my way through my algebra homework. Why do they think we'll actually ever use that crap anyway? Seriously! All it's good for is passing classes! But I did it anyway, stopping every two problems to pet Erik and once refill my coke. Eventually the questions ended though and I grabbed my remote to turn on my T.V. I pushed play on the DVD player and Phantom of Opera's menu popped up. I impatiently clicked 'scene selection' and chose Music of the Night. As the Phantom started to sing, I laid back- closing my eyes- and let Gerard Butler's voice float into my mind. My body instantly relaxed, savoring the music. Suddenly, I felt a paw step onto my stomach. I opened my eyes and watched with a lazy smile as my little black cat climbed onto my stomach. The white side of his face was turned to me. Yes, like the real Erik he had what Raven and I called his white mask. That was what decided his name that day in the park. Half a white face and half a black. He sat down and watched the Phantom entrance Christine through the underground lair. Then, Erik opened his little mouth, and mewled along with certain parts of the song.

I gasped in shock and reached for my cell phone. In a few seconds Raven picked up the phone. "What? I was talking to Alyce," she said, annoyed.

"Did you know our cat sings Music of the Night?" I whispered a proud smile stretched across my face.

"What? Erik? No way! Let me hear him!" She demanded. "No, hold on; let me get Alyce on the line." She punched a button and I heard Alyce ask, "Hello?"

"Alyce, its Annabel. I'm listened to Erik sing Music of the Night!"

"Why's that so special. You listen to that movie every night." Alyce sounded very confused. I laughed, trying to keep my stomach as still as possible. Raven laughed too, harder than me. Well, she didn't have to worry about a cat that might be mad at being interrupted while giving a very important concert.

"Yeah, but have you heard Erik the _cat_ sing it?" By the force of her laughter I figured she was about to fall off her bed.

"Let us hear him!" Raven said, impatiently.

I grabbed the remote and rewound the scene and stopped right before the Phantom sang the opening line. I turned the T.V. up and held the phone to the back of Erik's head. He meowed quietly, warming up his voice, I supposed, and then began to hit some of the notes. Poorly of course, but none the less, he meowed faithfully, his tail swinging back to hit my face a few times, almost as if to say, '_Well, you deserved it! You thought I couldn't do it! I'll show you!_' I heard Raven and Alyce's laughter on the other end of the line but my cat and I ignored it.

The song ended, Erik not even trying to hit the last note. I moved the phone back to my ear as Erik stepped off the makeshift 'stage' of my stomach and onto the bed. Once there, he lay down and watched the movie. "Oh my gosh! That was amazing! Can he do it again?" Alyce's voice was hard to understand- she was talking too fast.

"I bet he can," I laughed, "But not tonight. He's already laid down and I think he's about to go to sleep, like me. I'll talk to you both tomorrow," I said cheerfully.

"Alright!" Alyce said right as Raven whined, "Please, talk a little longer! Pleeease!" Smiling, I hung up. I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't really take offense. She had Alyce too. I plugged my phone into its charger and changed into my pajamas.

"Come on, Erik. Time for bed!" I stuck my freezing toes into the covers and looked at my cat. Fast asleep. I sighed. 'Oh well, no use to wake him up. He'll only be mad and go over to Raven's.' I turned off my lamp and curled into a ball under the sheets. Now alone, nothing to sidetrack my thoughts, my mind cruelly replayed Goth Guy's parting words.

'_Maybe another time then,_'

He never said 'Goodbye.' My heart tried to heal the unreasonable hole in my heart. There was no reason to feel this way! He was cute, he smelled nice, and he was a Goth like you! But why should you fall for his mystery so fast? You always like the bad guys… but that was usually lust or a misplaced feeling of inspiration or idolatry! This was different. A magnetic force was pulling my heart- no- my soul towards this man. I wanted him, not for pleasure, but to hold me when it was cold out, to run his fingers through my hair when I cried, to kiss me in the rain just because he felt it was the right thing to do. The romantic guy… the guy that women would kill their best friends for. This guy felt like that man, and this realization that I wanted him for that made the odd, empty feeling in my chest shudder and ache.

_I gasped, tears running down my face. "No, no! This can't be happening! I can't possibly _love _him! This is unacceptable!"_

"_Why would that be, Annabel?" I heard a voice say in my ear. Instead of jumping this time however, my body instantly relaxed. "Why would it be so bad to love me?" I looked up at Goth Guy. He didn't have his black sunglasses on this time, his sapphire eyes bored into my soul. I unconsciously searched my heart for the hole, but it was gone, like it never existed. _

"_I don't know… because I thought I'd never see you again." He smirked a little and then he laughed once. His breath caught me again, stronger than on the bus. That time it had been polluted by the stench of gas, sweat, and puke that came from a public bus. Again I reached for his face and there was nothing to stop me now. My fingertips soared along his eyelid to his jaw line. _

_He exhaled in a relieved sigh. "I'm here. You touch me for yourself. I am real. I am here," he left off, his musical voice floating unfinished in the few inches between us. My fingers stopped on their path to his chin. I questioned him with my eyes, waiting breathlessly for the rest. "Oh, that look." He closed his eyes. I gently traced around his eyes, wishing they would open again. _

"_Please."I whispered. He inhaled my breath. I pulled back, embarrassed. I forgot to brush my teeth before bed. Surely he would be repulsed. But his arm suddenly wrapped around me, pulling me into his chest. I didn't fight. I wanted to be there. _

"_I will never leave you. I will always be here,"_

_It was the thing I wanted to hear most in the world. Tears welled up in my eyes again as I hugged him back. His fingers stroked through my hair, smoothing out the few tangles and knots I had collected throughout the day. Sweetly in my ear, Goth Guy hummed a few notes I instantly recognized. _

"_Sing it please," _

_He chuckled. "Alright, Annabel, but then you sleep," _

"_Anything," I promised, and then sighed when he began to sing the words to All I Ask of You. I relaxed into his body, wondering why it wasn't as warm as it should've been. But I quickly dismissed it, easing into the song and letting his voice submerge my soul in happiness for the first time in my life. "Thank you," I interrupted softly before letting darkness enter my sight and finally falling asleep._


	5. Chapter 5: The Revelation

Chapter Five: The Revelation

I woke up to Erik yowling in my ear. "All right, all right Erik! I'll get your food." The floor was like ice to my bare feet so I quickly jumped over to my chest of drawers on my toes, hoping that the less I touched the ground, the less cold I would be.

I struggled to get on my fuzzy purple socks and almost succeeded in falling about ten times before I could put my both of my feet flat on the floor. All the while, Erik kept up his noise and when I had finished with my socks I turned to him. Just like a normal cat, he sat on the edge of my bed, his slim, black tail moving back and forth across the covers behind him. His eyes were emerald green with a few blue tints around the edges and now that I actually looked at him, he looked exactly like he had last night: confused. The left side of his face the usual white and pure, and the black side looking like it was filled with shadow. He turned his face to the door and yowled, then looked back at me. Then, without warning, he leapt off the bed and began to rub around my feet, mewling like a kitten again.

"Erik? What's wrong boy?" I picked him up in my arms and he eagerly licked my chin, purring loudly. "Okay, I'm getting breakfast." I carried him downstairs and found my hidden Ziploc bag of cat food Raven gave me. My parents loved Erik (although they would never admit it) but they wanted him to stay at Raven's house so they discouraged feeding him here. I didn't really care. There was always a bag of food hidden in my backpack just in case. I poured some out in a plastic bowl then jumped back. He tended to become really protective of any food he found once it wasn't in the hands of a human. However, this time, he sniffed his food once then jerked his head to the right of the kitchen, yowled once and took off through the door in the other direction.

"What the hell, Erik?" I muttered, and began to pour the untouched food back into the bag. No use in wasting it. Then I reached for the cereal box and poured myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes. It was Sunday and after my parents' late night I really didn't expect them to wake up 'till about nine o'clock. I glanced at the digital clock resting on the countertop beside me. Seven-thirty. I sighed then smiled widely as I had a thought.

I grabbed the small notepad we wrote down phone messages on and a pen.

Mom & Dad, I'm going to Raven's for a while, until you wake up at least. If you want to call me over for breakfast that'd be great but otherwise I'll eat at her house. Love you. See ya. Annabel

I wolfed down my cereal (yes, I know I told them I hadn't eaten but, hey! Free food!) and ran up the stairs two at a time. Once there, I threw off my pajamas and wrestled with my blue jeans and black tee. Greedily, I grabbed a fistful of dollars from my bedside table and gave my room a once over.

The deep purple walls were covered in posters of vampire movies and rock bands. On a bulletin board beside the door were old birthday cards, pictures of my family, Raven and Alyce. My TV that somehow- don't ask me how- survived the move from Kentucky, sat on top of my beat up dresser. My eyes wandered to my bed, covered in messy black sheets with grey bats on them. I looked at my pillow, wrinkled and squashed in the middle, about to fall off my bed. Then I looked at the other pillow.

It was the only thing in my room that was white, and even then it had little marks from black sharpies. Hey, when you put three hyper Goths in a room for a whole night strange things happen. But it wasn't the fact it was white that caught my attention. I was fine with that. It was the fact that it, like my pillow, was squashed in the middle. It had been used. Then my dream came back to me. Exhaling loudly, I fell onto the bed. Goth Guy. I had a dream about Goth Guy. He was here! He had laid beside me and comforted me. Talked to me! Like I had hoped!

I shook my head viciously. The dream was a figment of my imagination. That was all. I was crazy if I thought it was anything more. Erik had probably sat there during the night. I turned and fled the room, running down the stairs as fast as I could. 'What if that was why Erik was acting so strangely this morning? What if Goth Guy had been in my room last night and this morning? That would explain things… in the dream I remember him saying he'd never leave me!

'But that sound you heard on the stairs behind you last night… Erik looked confused and kept glancing back at the kitchen. But if Goth Guy was behind you he'd have to have super speed to get to the kitchen in time for you to turn and look back. That was simply impossible. You're just imagining everything. Forget it. Forget him. It's not worth the pain.'

I grabbed my coat and boots and hastily tugged them on before running out into the street for Raven's.


	6. Chapter 6: The Fight

Chapter 6: The Fight

I knocked on Raven's front door quietly, afraid of waking up her dad. Then again a little harder. Sighing, I looked around for a rock. Then I saw a clump of dirt by the sidewalk. "She's gonna give me hell for this," I muttered before picking it up and backing away from her house. It was easy to locate her window; it had light purple curtains on it. Aiming quickly, I chucked the clump of dirt at her window, hitting it in the middle.

The curtains stirred and Raven poked her head out of it, squinting down at me. "What the fu-" she glanced quickly back into the house. "Alright, I'm coming!" Her head disappeared and a few seconds later the door opened. "Shit!"She whispered, jumping up and down, hugging her arms, "It's freezing out there! Get in here!"

I didn't need any more encouragement. I ran inside, teeth chattering.

"Why are you here?" She asked, hurrying back up the stairs, eyeing her dad's door closely.

"Because our cat woke me up at seven fifteen yowling and my parents were asleep so I was bored!" I said, biting back my tongue before I told her my dream. "What was I supposed to do? Leave myself with my thoughts! Even if yesterday didn't happen, that's a dangerous way to start my day!"

"Jeez! Don't chew my head off! I just wanted to sleep! God!"

"Well, you can sleep while I watch a movie or something. I really just don't want to be alone," I tried to apologize the most I could without actually saying the actual words. Really, was it my fault that I had that dream last night? 'Yes it's your fault! You can't just let this go! You're intentionally making yourself miserable!' I ignored my smarter self yet again.

We entered her room and I sighed at the familiar surroundings, as familiar to me as my own room. Raven crawled back into her bed and turned on her side, ignoring me I guessed. I really didn't mind that much. I knew that we would still be sisters in about five minutes. I walked over to her closet and opened it. The really funny thing about Raven and her room was her closet. She had a closet that could be her room! I mentioned that she had no furniture except her table… it was all in her walk-in closet. She had a T.V. with another beanbag in front of it. The T.V. set on the fourth shelf of a gigantic book shelf, filled with books. On the fourth shelf, propped against the television, was a row of DVDs in no foreseeable order. However they were organized specifically to Raven's likes and dislikes. I looked at the middle section and found the movie easily. Quickly I inserted it into the slot and settled on the beanbag with the remote.

"Just don't turn it too loud when Lestat sings. My dad hates that music and he'll get all pissed 'cause we woke him up,"

I wheeled toward the door and then looked back at the DVD case in front of me. "How did you know I'd be watching 'Queen of the Damned'?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Hello? You're my sister! I can read your face better than a book and the look on your face defiantly said, 'I need to gush about how hot Lestat is so I can forget my life right now'"

My face turned scarlet as my chest puffed out defensively. "You don't know _why _I need to 'gush' about Lestat!"

I heard the covers of the bed move and I waited for Raven to appear in the doorway. Sure enough, Raven came and walked in the closet then pushed me over to the other side of the bean bag so she could sit. She had dragged her cover with her and now she draped it over us and she hugged me. "I know you're doing the exact same thing I did when Alyce took that month-long break with her parents," then she looked up at me, her eyes understanding and sad. My eyes filled with uncalled for tears. Ashamed I should be feeling so much suddenly, I turned my head. "You're thinking about him." It wasn't a question but I answered anyway.

"Yes. It just felt so right to reach out for his face. It was like we had known each other for all of our lives," the truth of this came crashing down on my heart like a ton of bricks and I instinctively clung to my chest, wringing the skin there between my fingers.

"That's how the child molesters get you, you know," Raven said nonchalantly.

I barely stopped myself from hissing at her… a very strange reaction but I dismissed it. "He's not! He's great,"

Raven rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Whatever,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" My voice could seriously compete against ice for the coldest.

"I'm just sayin' you've known him for like… five minutes and you want to give your whole heart to him? I knew Alyce since I was like, three and I only found out we were soul mates two years ago. Really Annabel. You just sound ridiculous!"

I moved instantly away from her and bared my teeth. "Is it my fault you are incredibly blind about this stuff? Just because I'm in touch with my heart enough that I can recognize my second-self immediately that gives you permission to be all high-and-mighty about it?" this time I actually hissed at her.

Raven looked at me with shock in her eyes. Part of my heart seemed strangled at the partial hurt in their green depths but I ignored it. Tears pooled once more and I fought them back.

"Maybe I shouldn't have come. I'll just go before this gets worse." I spit out before turned and ran out the door of her room. She ran after me a few seconds after and I sprinted out the door and cut across the street without looking. Too late I heard three very funny noises. Two of them maybe wouldn't be so strange except for the fact they were mixed together.

One: Raven's shout of "Look out Annabel!"

Two: A car horn mixed with sounds of some old eighties song no one would be caught dead listening to anymore.

Three: A strangely familiar yell of a guy crying out "No!"

And then it was dark.


	7. Chapter 7: The Accident

Chapter seven: The Accident

"Annabel? Annabel, talk! Please!" I felt smooth fingers stroking my face and running through my hair. My eyelids opened to the familiar sound of Goth Guy's voice. His blue eyes cut and burned me but I loved it. Breath swept my face and I inhaled deeply, the smell of it driving my thoughts in wicked circles.

"You… saved me," my voice was way too cheesy. It whispered and floated like gauze and I nearly puked at the similarity to a fairy tale.

He raised one eyebrow, as if question my sanity. "Yes."

"Why? How?" Somewhere behind his head I heard the sound of a car door slamming and the sobs of Raven.

Goth Guy looked behind his shoulder quickly. "Shit," he murmured. "I knew I shouldn't have done it. I knew it… but I just had to anyway. So damn stupid," He looked back at me like he'd forgotten I was there. Suddenly, he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me up. I allowed myself the privilege of leaning on him heavily as I squeezed my arms around his torso.

"Oh my fucking cookies!" I smiled at Raven's odd habit, but I couldn't bring myself to look away from Goth Guy's face for more than a few seconds. He still had his Korn hoodie on and his blue jeans were faded and torn. "Annabel! You're okay! I thought for sure you…. I'm sorry! Holy shit! I can't believe you're okay!" Raven threw herself at me, knocking out my breath and ripping my arms form their happy position around Goth Guy's waist.

Sadly I settled for Raven to hug. But it still felt great to be loved. Right now I could tell my shirt was covered in tears and probably snot, but I didn't care. My laugh was shaky and transparent but it felt like the right response to Raven's blubbering. "Rave, I'm alright. Goth Guy saved me! It's all cool. Calm down, Sis!" I kept repeating this into Raven's black hair until she finally looked up at me.

"Goth Guy?" she managed to whisper before I heard the sounds of my mom's alarmed cry and Alyce's familiar "Raven!"

I sighed when Raven automatically turned for Alyce. Slowly, I turned to face my mom. "It's all fine. I'm okay. Well, I almost got killed, but I'm fine," I bit back a laugh while my mom's eyes got wider and wider. She had eyes like a doe- large, brown and trusting. She hugged me to her chest tightly.

"Mom… can't… breath!" I gasped.

"I don't care," she said, but eased her grip.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the owner of the car, a silver ford from forever ago, hobble over to us. The man was seventy-something, and his voice creaked as he asked, "Is everyone alive? Sorry I didn't see her. I keep telling my daughter to buy me new glasses but she insists I can see fine!"

"Yes, everyone is alright. Go on. No harm done I suppose," my dad said stiffly. I struggled around in my mom's arms and looked at the old dude. He was about five feet tall and his back was curved so that it looked like he was in a perpetual bow. Old Dude's head was gigantic compared to his shriveled, skinny body. The few blonde hairs on his head were styled in the worst comb-over of the century. The pin-striped bright yellow shirt was tucked almost to his chest in a khaki pair of dress pants that was too short. I looked at his brown socks in their loafers and held back a hysterical laugh.

Then I remembered with a gasp. Goth Guy was not even getting recognized! I tore myself away from my mother's arms and spun wildly around. "Goth Guy?" I whispered quietly. A movement out of the corner of my caught me. Goth Guy had turned his head my way. He had pressed himself against the corner of my house and the small alleyway between out neighbor's house. Ignoring all around me, I walked over to him.

"Thanks," I said lamely. _Idiot! All you can say is 'thanks'! Jeesh! You're a moron! _

Goth Guy shrugged stiffly. "No problem…" he looked on edge and tense. I wondered why. "You're the girl on the bus," he said after a while.

I blushed. "Wish you hadn't said that. I really wasn't acting with my head then-"

"No," he interrupted, his gaze locking me in place yet again, "You were acting with your heart."

I didn't know how to react to his sudden intensity. My over taxed brain offered up a small subject, even though it had been used before and was totally over with. "If there's anything I can do to make it up. I mean, I sorta owe you my life…"

Now his blue eyes frightened me. His already intense look grew and darkened. "You want to make it up?" he grabbed my hand and pulled me into the alleyway. I gasped a bit when my back collided with the wall roughly. "Don't move. Just go along… and stop me if I lose it," his voice was rough but somehow still remained smooth and amazingly soft. The familiar scent of his breath washed over me again, now too near for me to think at all.

"Lose it?" I gasped.

Then his lips touched mine.

All was lost. Everything could have gone straight to Hell at that moment, and I really didn't care. I was going with it. Sparks jumped like lightning bolts between our lips, pulling us closer together. His fingers roughly grabbed my waist and pulled me closer right as my fingers clutched at his hair. Our lips moved in perfect synch as our bodies plastered themselves to each other.

I pulled back for air, but his lips never left me. Instead he started to kiss my bottom lip roughly. A slight frustrated groan escaped him and he captured my lips again. I could feel his body wishing for more and, sadly, I wanted more too.

_"Ahemm!" _someone cleared their throat. We pulled apart, but his tooth grazed my lip, drawing blood.

Then he wasn't pulling away anymore. He simply stood there, anguish twisting his face, as he stared at my bleeding lip. "I- I want…" then his beautiful eyes looked up at mine. He reached up to cup his hand around my cheek. "Goodbye," he turned and fled.

Only after I watched him turn around the corner, his hair disheveled, would I turn and look at who interrupted us. A blush painted my already feverish skin.

Raven and Alyce were standing at the beginning of the street, holding hands and biting back laughter.


	8. Chapter 8: The Cell Phone

Chapter eight: The Cell Phone

I was mortified. That was actually my real first kiss… if you didn't count the times when the guy had been completely drunk (sad story, don't want to talk about it now). Then, to have my best friends witness it. My _gay _best friends.They would never understand… would they? I looked back at the corner where Goth Guy disappeared, wishing with all of my heart he would reappear and take me away.

"Annabel?" the sound of my mom's voice called me out of my thoughts. I shook myself, mentally and physically, before stepping out into the open. My mom had her cell in one hand and car keys in the other.

"Yes Mom?" I answered, staring at her skeptically. _What now? _I thought.

"Climb in. We're going to the hospital to make sure you're okay," She circled her car, a dusty black Bonneville. My parents took pride in their Bonneville. The company had stopped making the cars years ago, but my parents were obsessed and eventually tracked down one themselves.

My father came out from the house and I noticed that Old Dude was gone. _Good riddance. The only way he could've been worse would be if he talked like Ozzy Osborne. _I tried to conceal a laugh as a cough when Old Dude's voice popped into my head screaming, _"SHARON!" _

"Mom, I'm really fine. Please, can we stay at home? I just want to sleep it off."

A frown crossed my mom's features and Dad looked just about ready to throw my butt in the back of the car like a hostage and run. "Honey, what if you have a concussion? Sleeping could kill you! I just want to let the doctor examine you and we'll let you sleep all you want," My mom walked over to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulder. "Come on, let's go,"

I sighed and let her take me away, the nice, pleasant, nauseas thought of letting my _male _doctor do a full body examination on me… _Gulp. _Well, he had been a nice guy since my birth, but hitting puberty really made me question every move a guy made towards me. Even married guys.

"I'll talk to ya later, Annabel!" I heard Raven call from behind me.

"Yeah! We'll be waiting for the details!" Alyce joined in. I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and my lips still stung from where Goth Guy had kissed me.

"Where'd you hurt your lip? Did you cut it when you fell?" my mom asked. I cringed and nodded my head, not trusting my voice at all.

Behind me I heard Alyce and Raven laughing hysterically, trying to smother it poorly. So, trying to look as innocent as possible, I snuck my hand behind my back and raised my middle finger. I heard an indignant half-shriek and half-laugh from the two. As I sat in the back of the car, I stuck my tongue out at them, grinning crazily. Then I tasted my blood. The coppery taste of it made me wince a bit… then I tasted more. Soon my lip was in my mouth and I was sucking on it. Only when it was all gone did I release my lip in shock. 'What did I just _do_?' I asked myself, disgusted. 'I acted like a frigging vampire with my own blood! What the hell? Well, I always wanted to be one… what am I saying? Drinking people's blood isn't in my hopes for the future! But now I know what Goth Guy said about wanting… no way! Why would he want my blood? Unless he was a vamp- shut up right there! You did not kiss a vampire. Just forget about that!' I tried to get the image of his eyes when Goth Guy saw my blood. A murky lust had clouded his eyes… but stubbornly I forced myself to remember we had been making out less than a second before. Of course there was a fair amount of lust involved! Sighing, I grabbed my iPod and stuffed my ears with the familiar comfort of Phantom of the Opera.

But when the song reached All I Ask of You, I grimaced at Roul's voice. It was nothing like Goth Guy's. Once, in a sort of jealous rage, Raven and I had thrown popcorn at the T.V. and yelled that Roul sounded like a dying cow. Now I realized that, compared with Goth Guy's silky smooth voice, it was true. Then, my lips tingled a bit and I recalled his arms around me, his black hair draping over our faces, shutting out the entire outside world. The sweet taste of lips on mine made me moan a bit.

"Are you okay, dear?" My mother asked from the passenger's seat. My dad glanced at me from the rearview mirror and I felt the car speed up a bit. I blushed, realized where I was and, yes, I had moaned out loud.

"Uh, yeah Mom. My lip just stings a bit. Probably some dirt got into it." I quickly lied. No way was I going to explain I was having a make-out fantasy in the back of my parents' car!

In another minute, the hospital came in sight. I cringed. How embarrassing will it be to admit to the doctor that the reason my lip was without blood, was because I had a creepy occult moment and _drank my own blood_? I opened the car door and followed my parents inside. A nurse showed me into a cramped room with pictures with happy, smiling, bright green turtles lining the walls. The same nurse came back a few minutes later and took a look at me, testing my reflexes and shining a bright light into my eyes. Yada yada, doctor stuff. In the end I was fine and 'dandy'. As I walked out of the office the nurse called to me, "Would you like a sticker?"

'Uh… yeah right! Like I'm four?' but I found myself automatically saying, "Yes, please," Well, why not have a memento. Not many kids could hear their parents tell them they almost got ran over, right? So I took a sticker from the pile, not even looking. When I got back to the car, my parents talking about nothing in particular, I turned it over. 'Wow. That's ironic,' I thought. The doctor's office still hadn't given away all of their Halloween stickers I supposed. Here in my hand, was a picture of a miniature, cartoon Dracula and a bat flying in the distance. 'HAPPY HALLOWEEN!' was printed in blood red letters around the edges.

I put in my iPod again and tried to relax into the soft voice of Iron & Wine. After a while we came within view of my house. I had just enough time to turn off my music before my dad parked the car. Already exhausted by the day's events, I rushed into my room and closed the door. Then I tried to walk across the atrocity that was my floor so I could shut my curtains.

My body pulled me over to my bed and I lay there, wallowing in the dark, wondering about Goth Guy. Did I love him? How could I know in such a short amount of time? Was it his kiss that made me feel like this? His smell? Or maybe it was his eyes. There was something familiar about them, the burning blue that locked into my senses, bringing out a part of me that I didn't know was there. Yes, it was his eyes. My over active imagination began to replay, yet again, the scene in the alleyway. Sadly, my body screamed in desire.

Right on cue, my phone began to play Avenged Sevenfold. I picked it up quickly, hoping to get it over with quickly. "Hello, Raven,"

"Hi! We want to hear everything about it,"

"We?" I questioned in a flat voice. I already knew the voice that would answer though.

"Hey, Annabel," Alyce said cheerily. "What happened?" I couldn't help but sigh. "Oh, is he a terrible kisser? Eww."

Now, irrationally, I was pissed. Did I ask about Raven and Alyce's make-out sessions? Hell no! I was okay with them being gay and everything but I seriously did _not _want to imagine them kissing. I was not that cool, okay? What right did they have anyway? None at all! That was _my _private life and they just couldn't intrude for no reason than mere curiosity! "Are you kidding me? I'm not gonna tell you all! I never ask for descriptions when you guys kiss! Like I'm that kind of person!"

"We were just asking Annabel! No need to get all pissed off!" Raven yelled back.

I admit, I lost control. "You have no right anyway to ask! That's my right and I won't gossip about him like some kind of slut! And just 'cause that was my first kiss everyone's like, 'Oh my God! She actually got a guy's attention! We have to know exactly how she did it 'cause that was a miracle!'" I paused for breath and Alyce jumped in, trying to diffuse the situation. She hated fights and a fight between her closest friends was intolerable.

"Of course we're not thinking that! Any guy… or girl if you choose," I heard the smile in her voice and I clenched my teeth together to make sure I didn't say anything hurtful, "Well, they'd be lucky to kiss you. We just felt like you'd be comfortable sharing these things with your sisters. And Raven, love, she does have a right to feel like her privacy had been intruded. I admit I pushed her a little too far. I'm sure it was great. I apologize,"

I imagined them sitting together on Raven's bed, Alyce holding Raven's hand, trying to calm her down. In my mental image my 'soul-sister' was still glaring at the phone. That was just fine. I was still glaring too. As gently as I could, I said, "I have to go. I'll see ya around, guys," but before I could shut the phone I couldn't help but add, "He's an awesome kisser by the way. I'd trade Johnny Depp, Cam Gigandet, and even Heath Ledger (if he was still alive) for just one more kiss."

And I meant every word of it.


	9. Chapter 9: The Anger

Chapter nine: The Anger

After a long while in the dark of my room and the worse darkness of my mind, I rose. My jeans felt lighter as I walked down the stairs of my house. I'd left my phone in my room on purpose. Walking outside into the cold air, I let my mind clear. The familiar path to the alleyway passed under my feet without me noticing it. Heavily, I sat on the ground, my back to the brick wall. "You know," I said to the air, "I'm overly dramatic."  
"You might want to fix that," I heard a familiar voice from the shadows say. My body didn't react to it, but my mind suddenly overflowed with his kisses.  
I groaned, still not looking at him. My head flopped into my hands. "Why?" I pleaded. He was stalking me, taking advantage of my stupid teenage body and the fact I was inexperienced in the whole… situation, really didn't help matters. Tears built up behind my eyelids but I tried to hold them back. My life sucked, plain and simple. And I didn't need him to make it worse.  
"I don't know why, Annabel. I don't. I know that something has happened though, something that I must try to fix, before it destroys us."  
"Don't try to feed me that. That's just a line to get girls like me off guard so creepy people like you can take advantage of me. Don't you have anything better to do?" I turned skeptical. The words that Raven said earlier danced across my head, 'That's how the child molesters get you, you know.' My heart shuddered in pain.  
"Not unless you count killing people and drinking them dry," I heard him step toward me in the suddenly tense silence. I was in the presence of a murderer? No way. My brain rejected the suggestion. Denial tried to numb my thoughts but slowly I shook it off. What he was saying couldn't be true, but I wasn't about to space off into my 'happy place' which lately seemed to be in this alleyway, a few hours before.  
I raised my head slowly, staring at him though narrowed eyes. "Stop stalking me. Stop talking to me. Stop tormenting me!" my voice remained in check until the last, breaking open to yell at him.  
Goth Guy's head snapped up, looking at my house. He tilted his head, seeming to listen. "Talk quieter. Your parents are about to come outside and check on you and I would prefer we finish this conversation,"  
"Well, I don't think we should!" I said, floundering to get up. Then, I heard a low meow from around Goth Guy's feet. I looked and saw Erik the cat staring up at me with pleading eyes. "Erik, come on boy. Let's go back inside, 'kay?" I hissed at him. Erik just stared back at me, then slowly shook his head back and forth. I watched in mute fascination.  
"Well, you already know Erik I suppose. He's… sorta… my cat."  
My eyes glared at Goth Guy, my temper flaring out of my control. "How dare you! Erik is mine and Raven's cat! Leave him alone!"  
"That isn't really… possible. Erik is my soul cat. He goes where I go and vice versa. It's one of the things about being who I am." Then he lowered his voice, looking down at his combat boots, "You could have a soul cat too."  
My fury sprang forth and I marched up to him, pounding his chest with my fists, yelling at him, but as I yelled I felt like only Goth Guy and I could hear it, like there was a bubble surrounding the alley and nothing could pass through.  
Then, my gut pulled away from me.  
I heard screaming and hissing. Forgetting that I was mad at him, I turned my back to Goth Guy and saw the most amazing thing in my life. Amazing… and utterly terrifying.  
Two tigers were fighting in the middle of the alley. One orange and one white, their stripes mixing in the fray. I flinched into Goth Guy's chest as wonder and horror replaced the rage I had felt. "What… are they?" I whispered. Of course I knew what they were (tigers, duh), but I suppose I meant 'what is going on and how did two extremely rare tigers end up fighting right beside my house in the middle of the Twin Cities?' but as my excitement died, so did the fight. The white one looked up at me with soft, amber eyes.

In those eyes I saw wisdom. Not just wisdom… my wisdom. "Come here, please," I whispered unthinkingly. Honestly, she was a frigging white tiger! If she came near me she would just eat me! Or worse. I would be forced to depend on Goth Guy to save me from her. Damn.  
Then the oddest thing happened. She changed in front of me. The white tiger that was there less than a minute ago was leaping through the air as a Chartreux cat. Involuntarily my arms spread out in front of me as the feline landed gracefully into them. "Mrrow." "Are you okay?" The cat stared up at me with wide, golden eyes, expressing devotion and sympathy. I knew that she had meowed. I knew it. But I also knew that I understood her. I knew that she cared about me enough to battle a tiger for me.  
And that knowledge scared the shit out of me.  
Gathering up my new cat in one arm, I tugged on Goth Guy's hoodie. "Follow me, and if you say a word I'll kill you." Goth Guy looked down at his 'soul cat' and shrugged. Then he began to walk beside me, being so quiet I actually had to look back at him to make sure he was still there. Slowly, I eased open the front door to my house and through that to the stairs. I heard the TV going on somewhere and hoped desperately that both of my parents were too caught up in whatever news program watching to pay the stairs any attention. I eased up the steps, making sure Goth Guy knew about the squeaky one. Inch by inch, I pryed open my door just enough to let us through. Once we were both safely in and the door was shut, I impatiently motioned for Goth Guy to sit on my bed.  
He took his time getting there, sauntering across my floor, raising one eyebrow when he saw my underwear poking out from under yesterday's blue jeans. Blushing and getting angrier every second, I quickly moved about my room, picking up my clothes and depositing the pile in my hamper. I glanced at him, becoming angrier when he suppressed his laugh through tight lips. "Damn you," I muttered under my breath.  
This time he did laugh. "Too late." Then his face settled into a determined, slightly unhappy expression. "You need to learn to control your anger. In the first few months the soul is highly in tune to the person's emotions and even the slightest change in feeling can bring on amazing consequences and trust me, you don't want to give away what you are. Well, what you're becoming," He looked thoughtfully at the ceiling, swinging his legs a bit.  
I sighed heavily, looking down affectionatly at the hunk of blue-ish gray fur in my arms. "So, I think you owe me an explanation,"  
Goth Guy nodded, still staring up at the ceiling. "I suppose from the beginning would be best." He looked at me. "Come sit beside me please."  
I looked at my cat, deliberating. "What do you think, girl?" She meowed at me again. "He won't hurt you. If he does I'll scratch his pretty face off!" I laughed at her pretend feirceness. "I don't think that will be necessary, girl. Okay." I moved to sit the center, indian style. "So, shoot."  
He smiled warmly. "I just hope you won't run in fear when my tale is done." The chartruex took my hand in her teeth and lightly tugged it over to Goth Guy. I frowned at her when she purred at me, but firmly took his hand in my own.  
"I swear I won't run."


	10. Chapter 10: The Truth

Chapter ten: The Truth

"I was born Damir Alexander Reynard. My father had been human in 1773; he fought in the revolution. My mother had been a little older than me when she found him. Every family of our kind must have a past human; we can't reproduce… or fall in love, any other way. My parents have aged into what you humans would see as a sixty-or-so-years-old couple. They have refused to give up a few traces of their old fashioned outfits and my mother is never seen unless she is wearing a dress. My father wears 'dressy' pants and a button up shirt constantly. They even have retained some of their old dialect. I can picture them now, my father telling me, 'No man shall drink on the Sabbath, son, lest he be struck down with the Lord's might. You will never be a true man until you become a true Christian.' I love them still but when I came of age I left their church in favor of the simple worship of the elements. My path led me away from our group- and the comfortable, invisible life they had carved for themselves- and into the world of mortals. There I learned the true extent of my strength and the meaning of pain.  
"My first lesson occurred on a snowy highway. I was walking to the next intersection in a blizzard. We don't feel the cold like you do, our brain transcends all human limitations and anything and everything is possible. We can see for miles, detect even the slightest bump in a supposed 'perfectly smooth' surface, and our noses…. Let's just say that was a long, long, dinner in the first restaurant.  
"But back to my tale… the car couldn't be seen at first. Even to one of us, the snow was impossible to see through. I trudged on through the snow, and Erik appeared beside me. I thought I'd told him to stay home but they know when they'll be needed. Erik was my first warning. He'd appeared in a lynx form- great for snowy weather- and told me to hurry. I didn't need to be told twice. You'll learn quickly when your cat tells you something you'd better pay attention. So I started running, letting Erik lead, and soon I smelled the overpowering stench of gasoline and fire. Inside the car was a girl. She had hit her head on the steering wheel and now her whole head was drenched in blood.  
"I had been trained to avoid situations where blood was involved. The sweet, intoxicating aroma usually did younger ones in… the terrible pain that the thirst created destroyed the older ones. So everything in my body was at war. My thoughts told me to run away from the wreck as fast as I could, but I wanted, so bad, to drink her. I wanted to feel that terrible sin running freely down my throat… to feel the new found power it brings. But my head took control. Holding my nose securely, I pried open the car door and picked her up. I'm sure my eyes were bright red with want, but I tried to carry her out without harm. Gently, I laid her down in the snow and tried to clean the wound. Oh, how those few hours were torture! But eventually she opened her eyes. Her memory of the accident was fuzzy and incomplete. I couldn't leave her there to freeze so I carried her to the next hospital. The smell of her blood still haunts me…  
"But for a few years I roamed around, waiting for the one. Every vampire, male or female, meets a human sometime in their lifetime. Any human won't do… they have to have a call. It's hard to explain. Our kind has a sort-of inner compass pointing out the vague direction in which our true mate is. My 'compass', oddly enough, pointed due north so everyone thought I was crazy I suppose. Of course, the 'compass' only works when the human is born so I only knew my direction nineteen years ago! But, eventually I wound up here and I told Erik to make sure you were okay. Needless to say you bonded with him, thinking he was yours- I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at all. He (and I) have always been yours, even before you existed."  
Damir stopped, for real this time, and let the history of his life sink in. I waited for a while, sifting through my many questions for the most important. "So, your 'people' are…?" I left my sentence hanging, already knowing the answer. Damir turned his face to me, his eyes delicate lavender.  
"Vampires."


	11. Chapter 11: The Cat

Chapter eleven: The Cat

I sat in stunned silence. I don't know why I did, I mean, I already knew what his answer would be… but never the less, there I was. After a few minutes in pure shock Damir leaned toward me. "Are you okay?"  
Then I was in hysterics. My body shook with the force of my laughter. Damir reeled back, surprise and hurt in his features. Maybe he thought I was in denial. Maybe he thought I was just pure crazy… I don't know, but the situation was too funny. "You," pause for another laugh, "honestly think," laugh, "I'm okay?" he slowly shook his head back and forth slowly. Eventually the hysterics turned to sobs. By now I had no idea what I was really feeling, but I think it was fear.  
Damir wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. He wasn't freezing cold like I thought he'd be and I could faintly feel the beat of his heart through the force of my tears. "Am I going to die?" I asked when the convulsions lessened to a constant stream of tears. I wasn't sure but I think I was crying for the life I thought I was about to give up… and the knowledge that I would give it up for him. Then I remembered Raven and Alyce- my best friends and 'soul sisters.' No. I'd have to live with the pain of making him leave. Surely he'd find another human. Surely he was mistaken if he thought I was special. I was the kid that sat on the bleachers at school with her 'posse' instead of having fun with the other kids. I was the kid that dressed in black and sat in the shadows of classrooms and kept the answers to myself when I could. I was the kid that everybody forgot to _not_ push into the lockers. I was the kid that would never get a dream come true in her life!  
So I would go back to my non-existent life with my sisters and be happy! Yes! That's what I'll do! Just go back to life without true love. It'd be so easy and painless and… terrible.  
My chartreux climbed into my lap, reaching up to put her paws on my shoulders. Damir backed away politely, letting my cat talk to me. She purred, looking deep into my eyes. "You need to calm down and pay attention to what your heart is telling you. It will be alright, Annabel. I won't let anything happen to you." "I know, little one." I cocked my head, a sudden thought coming, "What will I name you?" The chartreux delicately tapped my nose with her tail as she stepped off my lap. "I don't mind… just don't name me the common stuff like 'Fluffy' and 'Kitty.'" She shuddered in mock horror. "Ugh. I hate those humans."  
I laughed. "Wouldn't dream of it!"  
Damir smiled shyly. "What's going on?"  
I grabbed his hand and dragged him over to my computer desk. "We're going to pick out names for her," I nodded in the direction of the blue cat on my bed, whispering to Erik. I still couldn't understand what Erik was saying, but I hoped it was a friendly conversation… I didn't want another tiger fight in my bedroom. I sat down in my chair and Damir sat on my desk. Soon we were on a page of millions of baby names. We scrolled through, laughing when we saw a name that meant 'whiskey' and the enthusiastic comments on that. Finally we landed on Mira.  
"Mira." Damir read off as my cat wound around my feet, purring contentedly. "I like it, Annabel. What's it mean?" I nodded to Damir, smiling and encouraging him to continue. "It means peaceful, individual, noble one… and my lady." Erik yowled from the bed and I saw Damir blush. I could feel the joyful waves coming from the space around my feet.  
I stood and hugged Damir gently. "Thank you. It's perfect." I felt his arms snake around my waist.  
"Only the best for Mira," _and you_. I heard the unspoken words hang in the air between us. His face came slowly nearer, and I tore away.  
"I need time." I whispered quietly.  
"You didn't need more time in the alley!" I was surprised when he almost yelled. "You were quite happy with my attentions then! I could feel you giving yourself to me! You loved every minute of it then! Until your 'friends' had to come and ruin everything! I almost killed you! Do you know that?" He grabbed my arms, spinning me around to face him. His eyes were bright red, flashing and dangerous… and I couldn't stop staring at them. He lowered his face down once more, and I leaned up for him. I thought I saw a flash of light reflecting off long canines, before he pushed himself away from me.  
"And there I almost did it again." he took deep breaths- trying to center himself I presumed- before turning back to me, his now blue eyes apologetic. "You must learn to be careful around me. Learn to read my signs. If my eyes start to turn red, get away. If my eyes are their normal blue, it means that I am in control," He inched toward me again, reaching for my face, "and it also means stay near me." I covered his hand with mine, staring into his sad eyes steadily.  
"As long as I can live I won't." then I walked past him to my bed and sat down again, leaning against the headboard. "You never answered my question from before though. To be with you, will I have to die?" My eyes bored into his with calm determination.  
Damir sighed and sat on my bed across from me. "You will not have to die to be with me, but we will exchange blood. The exchange of blood is a very private thing though, no one will see but us. That's mostly because that will be our first time… together." He wiggled his eyebrows expressively. I blushed.  
"Oh. So… we have to… well… I guess as long as we're married first."

"Of course! I would never! But yes, you've got the idea… we have to lie together to share blood, and then we will be bonded forever,"

Then I looked up, another question pouring from my lips. "But you said that your parents are still alive! That's impossible unless they're immortal, right?" he shook his head, smiling a little.  
"To many vampire movies have destroyed the heritage of our kind. We are not dead. We believe we are an evolved species. Our incredible 'powers' make humans afraid of us, therefore starting the rumors and then legends, obsessions, and then hunts. Vampires have a rough life expectancy of four hundred years. After four centuries on this Earth they all feel that they've seen enough and die. Usually they die under normal circumstances, unless someone finds out about our secret and kills them. We can be killed by the normal human things, except illness and infection. If we are shot or stabbed we have better chances of recovery because of this. I suppose that's the highlights. And before you ask, every human we 'change' must be a virgin. Don't ask me why… I think it's the sense of ownership. The primitive, 'you are mine' deal. Oddly enough, the vampire in charge doesn't have to match that requirement,"  
I ducked my head, blushing. "So… you're not a…" I couldn't finish the sentence. My throat constricted around the word.  
"No. If I had known you before though I would never have made that mistake." his voice was wistful and sad. I looked up. His face matched his tone. "It was a stupid error of youth. I am sorry for it now. Do you believe me?"  
I looked at him for a while, measuring the look in his eyes against the tone of his voice. "Yes. I do." I took his hand and held in both of mine tightly. "But you have to go!" I gasped as I remembered.  
"What?" he asked, surprised and looking very hurt. "Why?"  
Another sudden thought popped into my head. "Unless…" I hesitated.  
"Yes?" he whispered, looking earnestly at me.  
"Unless you come with me to Raven's."


	12. Chapter 12: The Announcement

**Sorry i've been gone for a while.... i've been busy. new puppy an everything. i just wanna say thanx to my beta: EmmettCullen'sLittleSlut she's a brilliant writer and my soul sis! And Thanks for all the reviews from my peoples. i love you all and you make life bearable. see ya'll around.**

Chapter twelve: The Announcment

_Knock, knock, knock. _My hand rapped against the door. Swiftly Goth Guy- I mean Damir- grabbed my hand in his own and held it. I figured we looked like any normal two Goth kids just going out. They'd never think that one was a vampire and one soon to be. Raven opened my door, looking warily at me. I smiled at her tentatively. Then I looked at Damir. Apparently Raven hadn't noticed him yet. She gasped… I laughed.

"Um, well, Raven this is Damir. Damir this is Rave so… yeah…" I stood there awkwardly for a few seconds.

Then, of course, Raven surfaced. "No shit! This is Goth Guy?"

Damir laughed, his black hair cascading over his head. I let the sound of his laughter wash over me like sweet rose water. Then I giggled a bit as I watched Raven blush. Unable to see her uncomfortable any longer, I wrapped my arms around her, enveloping her in warm hug. "Yep. He's actually really cool… in more ways than one," I said, thinking of Erik, his family, and most of all- his species.

Of course she took it completely wrong and stared at me with wide eyes, her mouth open in a tiny 'o' of surprise. I blushed deeply. "Oh! God no! Not like _that_!" I held her arm gently and whispered, "I'll explain inside with him. It's sorta… major big that he's not the next talk of the town though," She eyed Damir skeptically, wondering if he would mass-murder us if she let him in. "Please Sis? I promise you he's okay. Trust me?" she looked in my eyes, sifting through the different emotions and reading my unconcealed happiness.

"I do." She sighed, then opened the door wide and motioned for Damir to walk in. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" she hissed in my ear as she shut the door. "What if he was lying?"

"Just let us up to your room and we'll explain everything there," she looked at me with fear in her eyes. I knew she wasn't afraid of dying or anything; fear for Alyce's life and mine was taking hold. I wound my arm around her shoulders and hugged her close for comfort. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mira and Erik slink through the door, hidden in shadow. Collecting herself, Raven led the way up the stairs while I grabbed Damir's hand and pulled him along.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" I jumped slightly at the same sentence Raven had said just seconds earlier. "What if she freaks out? Or doesn't believe? Or she tells someone?" his anxious questions tugged at me, pricking my mind with doubt. But I looked up at Raven's long hair, dearer to me than any sister, and I knew I'd run against the chances just to keep her with me.

"She's safe."

Damir looked around Raven's room curiously. His eyes traveled throughout the room, searching for furniture he could sit in, I presumed. Raven tried to remain her calm image as she crossed the floor and sat on her bed. "When you have something important to say, you sit on the table where we all can see you. Annabel, since she is the second informant- and closest to you figuratively- will sit on the bean bag beside you. I and Alyce will sit up here on the bed, holding hands like usual," When she said this last part she raised her chin defiantly. I knew her well enough to know she was testing his reaction to the fact that she was, in fact, in love with a girl. Damir nodded and sat down on the table, testing his weight on it before settling.

"Alas, certainly we can keep your girlfriend out of this?" Raven's eyes flashed with anger at the thought of having to keep secrets from her soul mate. "I mean no offense. It's the fact that this is a very delicate secret and the less people that know the better for Annabel's life… and mine." He added himself as afterthought, as if he had already grown accustomed to putting me above his own life. I fought back a choking feeling in my throat and reached for Damir's arm. He looked at me, worry in his sweet blue eyes.

"Alyce can, and _will _be trusted. I will not lose her too. I promise she will bear this burden well, and Raven will rest much easier if she can share this with her loved one." Damir searched my eyes, testing my resolve. Finally, he nodded.

"Alright."

Raven already had dialed Alyce's number by the time we looked at her and was whispering urgently into the phone. In a few minutes Alyce was sitting beside Raven with their hands intertwined, looking at us expectantly. I took a long breath and began the small intro. Damir took over with the conversation easily, and I was eager to lean back and enjoy his tale once more. By the end of the hour his tale was finished and my sisters were staring at us in awe and… fear? That stung the worst of anything I had ever known. That they should fear me instead of loving me was unbearable! It's not like I would ever kill them! I would never hurt them like that!

"So… you're… going to…" Alyce began, tears building in her eyes.

"Die?" Raven finished in a terribly quiet whisper. I sat in stunned silence for a minute, forgetting to answer. They were afraid of me _dying? _They weren't afraid of me killing _them?_ But obviously they mistook my silence as one of conformation and I was soon tackled by them, sobs shattering my ears on both sides. We were all a tangle of arms and legs, all trying to hug each other tightly.

"No! Ouch! Dammit! Let me up! I ain't gonna die, dammit! Stop trying to kill me! OW!" They let me go soon enough then, and I took the chance to look up at Damir. His expression was an impossible mix of bemusement, concern for my life at the hands of my friends, and eagerness to help in any way he could. "Care to explain to them? You know more about it than I do."

Now he looked embarrassed and slightly afraid. "Well… it's easier with just you here. They are _girls _after all, and one doesn't discuss such things in front of the opposite sex that aren't your mate."

Alyce and Raven, with their perverted minds, got the idea of what we were saying then and giggled. I blushed a bit. 'Of course he would be uncomfortable stupid!' "Fine. I'll do it." I turned to Raven and Alyce, each trying to hold back a hysterical fit. "So, each vampire, like Damir said, has one soul mate-ish person in their lives." 'Jeesh. This is gonna be tough.' "And they have to be human and…" I forced the word out, "virgin. So when the human falls in love- I mean seriously, not the crush stuff- and they… make love…" I twiddled my thumbs nervously.

Raven finally couldn't hold the laughs back anymore. "When a mommy and a daddy get married and_ really_ love each other…" she began in a sing-song voice, tears building in her eyes from the force of her laughter.

"Shut up!" I half yelled, half laughed. I wasn't mad, I was just frustrated with myself that it wasn't coming out the way it should've. "It's more than that, okay? When they have sex the vampire and human then proclaim their love for each other and the vampire drinks from the human. That is when the human's transformation is complete. The mortal's fangs are released and he or she takes her lover's blood in as well, thus becoming a part of each other for the rest of their lives."

"Umm… hello? They don't have lives! They have existences! Lives mean date of death. Existence is more fitting." Raven, ever the vampire expert, broke in imperiously. However, she forgot there was one other in the room who would know more than she.

Damir broke in, the only one who had mastered his laughter from the start. I could tell he was still on edge. The way Erik paced in the shadows was definite proof. "We do die. We age just like humans, only slower. Our life span is about four hundred years," I already knew that of course, but I found myself caught up in the stunned silence in the room. Damir turned to me, a curious look on his face, "And I never told you that end part! I told you we took each other's blood but never those details!"

I shrugged. "I guess it was context clues or a book I read or something…"

"So," Damir continued, turning back to Raven and Alyce, "we also need the permission of the king before claiming someone."

"King?" I asked hoarsely. I had counted on the fact that, if I was ready, we would just… do it. But permission? That suddenly boiled my blood. "King! We need _permission _to have _sex_? Oh _hell _no!" I sprung to my feet, still not quite shouting, but on the verge. "I'm _not _going up to a total stranger and _asking their permission to have sex with you_!" The tone of my voice was acerbic as I hissed in Damir's face.

He didn't look shocked at my outburst. A little resigned, but mournful too. "I thought you might feel that way. We don't have to then. In fact I rather hoped you wouldn't want to be like me. It'd be better for you. King Eneid is the only one who never dies. Him and his wife, Calantha. They are strict, but they are fair." He muttered the last sentence with a voice of pure bitterness.

"Of course I still want to be like you! Why would you think that I wouldn't?" I reached for his arm, then rubbing it soothingly, asked, "You aren't afraid of them disapproving of me, are you?" I couldn't think of any other reason why he should sound like that.

His head shot up to stare at me. Those bright, startling blue eyes that captured my every wish and magnified my desires ten-fold. "How could you think that? I would never be afraid of anyone disliking you! And you shouldn't be either!" he looked down suddenly at the grains in the wooden table. "I just don't want you to be hurt for something that you didn't do,"

"What?" I gently touched his chin with my fingertips and he slowly brought his face up to look at me. "What happened? Something I didn't do? What is it?" I tried to stroke his face, from his right eye to his jaw, but he took my hand away.

"I would rather you not do that, Annabel. It's hard enough to keep you at this distance now, never mind when you treat me like that," He rubbed his face on the back of my hand and when he looked up at me his eyes were sweet, cool, and utterly irresistible. They bore into mine with an intensity that left me utterly breathless. "My love," he murmured with a voice that was deep and sensual, yet completely sincere.

Slowly and gracefully, Damir began to run his fingers through my hair, smoothing out the tangles without pain. Without thinking, I leaned into his touch, giving into the warm tendrils that curled along my lower stomach. Our lips neared and mine quivered slightly in anticipation.

"_Ahemm!_" I jumped as Alyce and Raven interrupted us. Then I blushed as I realized that this was _Raven's _room, and that _everyone_ waspresent. Damir seemed startled too, and quickly dropped his hand and mine and started to rub his temples thoroughly.

"Honestly you two! You're worse than that couple we saw on the bus the other day! And _how _long have you known each other?" Raven scolded us, her eyes glistening with suppressed laughter.

I blushed deeper, and playfully pushed Damir over to make room for me on the table. "Alright, I get it. And besides, we won't be able to _do _anything until the high and mighty Asshole King says so. Permission to have sex!" I scoffed, but humbly quit any unruly thoughts about what might have happened if Damir and I had only been in _my _room.

"Actually I've known Annabel for years… she just hasn't known me." Damir whispered , embarrassed. Then, seeming to have made up his mind about something, he turned his head toward the shadows of the room. "Erik, please join us."

And like a good soul-cat, he obeyed.


	13. Chapter 13: The Prediction

Chapter thirteen: The Prediction

Raven and Alyce stared blankly at Erik as he crossed the room, _mrrowed _a greeting, and hopped into Erik's lap. After a little while- Damir and I staring at the two on the bed expectantly, Raven and Alyce staring back blankly at us- "I don't get it," they both said in unison.

"Well Erik is not yours-" Damir started.

Hastily I grabbed his elbow. "_I'll _take care of this, Damir. No offense." He nodded and I continued, "Vampires have souls that live outside their bodies in the form of an animal… specifically cats and their related species. Like tigers and lynx…"

"And cheetahs?" Alyce piped up hopefully.

I smiled. "Yeah, cheetahs too. They change the species depending on the circumstances, usually they are cats for the practicality and the ability to keep the secret. But… when I get mad, Mira'll change into a ti-"

"Mira?" Alyce and Raven questioned.

I winced. "Yeah, Mira," I said, like it was no big deal. "I have a soul cat too." I turned my head to the shadows and nodded. Mira slid out from the corner, changing into a white tiger as she walked. _"This is gonna be fun. Annabel, care to join?" _I grinned. "Hell yeah I do!"

"You… can… talk to her?" Raven stuttered.

"Uh-huh." I said, acting like it was totally normal for this to happen. "Mountain lion, Mira?" Mira laughed. _"You bet!" _She leaped through the air a white tiger, but in the middle a wave of light gleamed from her pelt, changing her form and color from head to tail. _"Think they're impressed now?" _"Not quite. How 'bout you change to your normal state?" Mira grinned. _"Ahh, I see." _

Raven and Alyce both gasped when the mountain lion flew at my face. But once again the light gleamed off Mira's pelt and she landed smoothly on my lap as an elegant chartreux cat. Then, Mira faced the two of the girls staring wide-eyed at her and dipped her head gracefully.

"Damn." They both said breathlessly.

I shared a long look with Damir. We laughed together, and when he enveloped my hand in his own, I didn't think of pulling away. Mira nearly busted with the force of her purrs as she greeted Erik.

"So, anything? An… Amur leopard?" Raven asked, her bright eyes glancing at her stuffed Amur Leopard she received from World Wildlife Federation for donating money.

I glanced down at Mira. _"I've only seen pictures so I need some help from you. Can you get really mad… no. That might make me hurt them. Some really strong emotion?" _I nodded. There was one clogging my throat now. I closed my eyes and focused on the feel of Damir holding my hand, my sisters' smiles and the look they gave each other when nobody was watching. The total adoration of love struck my heart and I felt Mira leave my lap. I blinked open my eyes. Her familiar amber eyes locked onto mine.

"That emotion is the strongest I've ever felt from you." Mira dipped her beautiful head at me. "It makes me feel stronger than the world," When the people around me gasped loudly, I realized Mira had spoken out loud. I struggled to re-enter the swirl of emotion. It was harder than I thought.

"Yes, keep concentrating. I can feel it fading but I shall try to share some things with your friends first," She shrank back to the chartreux cat I loved so well. Immediately I felt the draw of emotion ebb. Love. Peace. Happiness. I zeroed in on that, repeating it like a mantra in my head. I still needed that power for her to talk. "Damir, I want to say that you should not lose hope. You have learned from Erik that some things in the future will be trying for you and Annabel, but in her heart she won't give up on you. Trust me. I know."

I grimaced. "Mira, serious headache. Please hurry," Damir squeezed my hand. Then, seeming to think better of it, and throwing all etiquette to wind, leaned down and kissed my hair slowly. The emotion I had been searching for flooded me all over and I sighed. The air I breathed out brushed Mira's pelt and it shone like diamonds.

Mira turned quickly to Raven and Alyce, who were looking with concern at me; I half-smiled half-grimaced. "You both need to stay by Annabel's side. If this is a strong emotion, one to rival it is swiftly approaching and she will need both of you," she zeroed in on Raven for some unexplainable reason, "to stay with her. Damir is embedded in her deepest heart. She will not leave him easily."

"Why us? I mean, we're her sisters, but she'll have you, right?" Alyce blurted out. I was grateful to her. I had begun to wonder the same thing.

Mira sighed, her blue-gray tail swishing through the air. "You forget. Annabel's heart is linked with Damir's. Where ever he goes, her heart shall follow. Just be patient. She doesn't mean any harm. In her sorrow she reaches out for-"

Then, I lost the emotion entirely.


	14. Chapter 14: The Puzzle

Chapter fourteen: The Puzzle

Exhausted, I collapsed against Damir's chest. Without my asking him to, he wrapped his long arms around me securely, burying his head in my hair. "I apologize. I should've told you to quit a lot sooner. It was madness for me to encourage you like that."

"No, it's alright. I'll be fine." I said breathlessly. I looked down at Mira, wonder and fear in my eyes. In the silence of my thoughts I had heard what the other's had not been able to hear. A warning that chilled my blood and shocked my mind.

_"In her sorrow she reaches out for one who ties the stories. The one who is blood with the bloodless. The one who shall steal the innocence from the Innocent."_

"Mira," I whispered, shakily, "Tell me what you mean."

Mira only shook her head sadly. _"No."_

I turned to Damir, panic in my eyes. "I don't know what she means. She won't tell me. What can I do, Damir? What can I do?" I buried my head in his chest, fighting back tears of exhaustion and frustration. My headache had only grown worse and I felt like I could burst.

"You need to sleep, love. I'll take you home," Damir murmured, stroking my hair reassuringly. He looked up at Raven and Alyce. "Please excuse us. I'm sorry that my first official meeting with you both is this unpleasant. I hope to have better encounters in the future,"

"Y-yeah," Raven stuttered. "S-sure." Alyce finished, stuttering also.

Damir nodded, then grabbed my arms and gently pulled me up until we were both standing tall. My legs were weak and I leaned heavily on him as we left. Groggily, I turned and waved 'bye' to my sisters. We made our way slowly down the stairs and out the door, Damir's arm around my waist. "We made it just in time," he muttered to himself when we reached my doorway. I glanced at the road as Raven's dad drove in, a James Taylor CD playing quietly in his car. "You'll be able to sense these things when you become a vamp. It's second nature to have extra senses. Part of our 'mind over matter' stuff," With that he swung me up in his arms and opened my door in one motion. From there he proceeded up the stairs, avoiding the creaking stair before I could warn him, and into my room without my parents' knowledge.

"I'll leave while you get dressed for bed," he whispered roughly. He was embarrassed.

"No. It's alright. I've got a closet," He eyed the door skeptically.

"It's too small for you. I'll go," Damir offered, his face mimicking a martyr's.

I huffed. "Damir, if it's too small for me- which it's not- then it's too small for you," I grinned triumphantly, sure he couldn't find fault in my logic. Logic that was fueled by exhaustion- logic that was fueled by an overload of information… and lack of food. I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast and now it must be about nine or ten 'pm'. My stomach growled, vibrating in my gut. Then, I'm sure my face turned pale as the hunger pains hit. "Ow," I whispered.

Damir looked at me, his sweet eyes reflecting my silent pain. He walked toward me and encircled my waist in his warm, strong arms. "That's an understatement, love." He whispered in my ear. Then he pulled back and studied my face. "Come. Let's get you some food,"

My own personal vampire strode across the room and opened my door without a sound. As he proceeded down the stairs I traipsed after him. "What about my parents?" I hissed.

Damir turned and flashed me a wide smile. "You think I can be stopped by foolish adults?" he faked at arrogance.

I scowled. "I am _so _not explaining you to my parents tonight." I growled. He only grinned wider and told me to wait in my room. And change while I was at it. I turned and muttered under my breath all the way to my closet. About two minutes later I lay down in my bed and picked up my remote. Wearily, I turned on Phantom of the Opera; just like every night. But those other nights I didn't have Damir bringing me a late dinner. I blushed at the thought.

When I did get to see my food Damir laughed at my expression. The full meal was made to perfection. The roast beef in the bowl of stew steamed and my room filled with the succulent smell of old-fashioned food. I could practically feel the drool dripping from the corners of my mouth. "How the hell did you hide this from my parents?"

He shrugged. "You're microwave is quiet." I eyed him skeptically. He sighed. "Fine. The 'rentals had this for lunch. I thought I'd warm it up. Happy?"

"Incandescently." I grinned, grabbing the tray from him greedily. Eagerly I devoured my dinner, only pausing when Damir teased.

"This movie again? How many times have you seen this?"

I glanced up at him, my T.V. where Erik the Phantom was luring Christine into his lair, and back to my stew. "Five hundred sixty-two." I whispered automatically. What Damir didn't understand from his obvious silence was the fact I just made the whole number up. 'Joke's on the vamp now. I could have so much fun with this!' I thought to myself.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Mira mew something in Erik the Cat's ear. Erik let out a series of small 'mews' which made Damir smile. "Thanks you two," in a moment I understood what Erik had said.

My eyes cut to Mira and Erik. _'The phrase "if looks could kill" comes to mind, Annabel. Tone it down,' _Mira laughed at me. "Damn you." I muttered.

"Hey now. It's not their fault! Who lied anyway?" Damir chuckled as he scooted himself close to me. "Easy now love." He whispered, taking my face in his hands. "Look, my bad. I'm sorry. Shouldn't have provoked you. Happy now?" he smiled wider, his eyes sincere.

"Alright. Fine." I tried to sound mad, but I slipped and smiled.

"Oh, just 'fine'? What happened to 'Incandescent'?" Then that stupid, arrogant, totally hot vampire laid his lips on mine. His breath mixed with mine and I couldn't do anything but breathe him in. The sweet scent of honeysuckles and roses bloomed around me. Light bells chimed in my ears. After a few seconds though, he pulled back, his eyes still teasing, but I thought they looked a little darker than normal. "Still happy?" There was a new edge to his voice. An echo in my head of the growl of a large cat. The roar of a waterfall. So beautiful. So dangerous.

"Damir," I pleaded. "I am perfectly, utterly overjoyed. Now _please _don't lose it. I'm not ready to tell everyone 'good-bye' yet," I moved back a little and watched as a million emotions crossed his light purple eyes. Hurt. Frustration. Happiness. Understanding. Embarrassment.

Self-loathing.

He scooted back, obviously hating the newly needed distance. "Damn. This is harder than I thought it would be,"


	15. Chapter 15: The Youth

Chapter fifteen: The Youth

"Well, you don't say." I laughed a bit. We sat in silence for a while, my eyes scanning the perfection that was Damir. "So, what did you mean 'I've known her for years'?"

He ducked his head. "I was afraid you'd remember that." He sighed, looking wistfully at me, "When I found out where you were I looked about like I do now… you were considerably younger: nine. You used to wear pink and skip around with Barbies and gushed about 'kitties'."

"Oh no." I gasped, the blood draining from my face. "You _saw _that?"

He smirked. "Oh yeah. It was _adorable._ Except for that damn Wilson kid…" he trailed off, a murderous expression darkening his eyes.

A weight pressed on my heart. Wilson had been in my third grade class- and my first boyfriend. I never really counted him as one of my love-interests. I never really loved him. But he was my Sex Ed. 101 crash course. That's to say, he fooled around but I was obviously still a virgin. Shame clouded my eyes and I bowed my head. I tried to say it wasn't my fault. I tried to say I didn't want him. Didn't want _that. _But all that came out of my mouth was "Sorry."

Damir sighed. "Sorry for what, Annabel? Sorry for him? Sorry for the fact that he's going to grow up with his name associated always with 'sex offender'? Or sorry for how he hurt you, physically and mentally,"

I looked up at him, confusion in my eyes. His tone gentled. "Ever since then you have… a look. It's always there. Sometimes it hides but other times…" he grimaced. "It's all I can see." Unbidden, tears swam in my eyes.

"Sorry for you. Sorry you had to see me go through that. To see me upset and hurt and you not being able to help me. Or even show me your existence. I'm sorry you were hurt too."

He moved closer to me and put his hands on the sides of my face. I locked in on his eyes. The tears slipped out of my eyes, floating down my cheeks. "I would never hurt you like he did. _Never. _He- he didn't love you. He never fought the battle between what's safe and holding you in his arms. He never had to decide whether or not he should share with you the danger his life possessed." Damir moved even closer, our knees pressing against each other. I felt and smelled his breath stir my hair. I breathed in my Gothic lover; my heart beating to the time of his words.

"Lover," he whispered deeply. "He never needed you the way I do."

"If… you… lose control… again," I whispered, but it felt more like a plea than a rejection.

He laughed a very small bit. "I've never been more in control," and he kissed me again. Not like he possessed me. Not like he dominated me. More like he had no choice but to kiss me. Like he would cease to exist if he didn't have this moment with me. Right here. Right now.

His lips never left mine as he slowly led me down into the sheets of my bed. Even though I desperately hoped, I knew he wouldn't lose his focus tonight. His reckless abandon on my lips would remain just there. Still, I couldn't help but relax completely into his embrace and, for once, I was totally happy to let a man take control of me.

When we parted I was dizzy from lack of oxygen. I panted relentlessly, gulping in large amounts of air. "Lover," he whispered again, longingly gazing back into my eyes. I had expected his eyes to be practically red; for him to immediately pull back. But as he rested his forehead against mine I couldn't help but be moved. If anything he had said before showed how deep his emotion for me went we'd be in Europe by now, at the feet of the 'Asshole King' and begging for my immortal life. In his eyes there was an ocean of pure, sweet water. And, as I drank again and again of this everlasting spring, I couldn't help but utter those worn words. Used time and time again so the polish was nearly gone. The sincerity that had been washed away by lies and betrayal was evident in my voice. Damir couldn't have doubted my earnestness and my wordless addiction to him.

"I love you."

He didn't answer, only looking into my eyes for the briefest second before grabbing the remote to my T.V. and turning on 'Phantom of the Opera' once more. Then he moved beside me, his arm around my shoulders and his lips pressed gently to my hair. I laid my head on his chest, my hand full of his worn Korn hoodie. I breathed in his scent and let it take me into the night sky. There Damir and I would fly together, the stars witnesses to our love and the west wind caressing our faces delicately.

And in the black embrace of Mother Night, I dreamed again.


	16. Chapter 16: The Happiness

Chapter sixteen: The Happiness

_I dreamed that Raven and Alyce were smiling down at me from a halo of night. The stars shone brighter than I'd ever seen around their faces. They laughed. Oh what a laugh! All tinkling bells and the giggling of cool water flowing down to the ocean. I ran toward them, over fields and hills and woodland, always staring into their eyes. Dimly I was aware that I was not myself. I ran on all fours and a silver tail flowed behind me. _

_I pricked my ears up, hearing a rustle in the wind. A cat appeared beside me. The looks of dismay and horror replaced the reassuring smiles on my friends' faces. The cat was a Savannah breed; a small head with large ears 'graced' a tan body. The random black spots and lines that adorned the fur rippled gracefully as the long legs of the cat swiftly out ran me. He wheeled around and grinned, forcing me to still my pace. _

_Savannah Cat grinned triumphantly and cuffed my ear with one unsheathed paw. I reeled back, feeling blood stain my fur. And as I looked up at my sisters, still floating in the sky, I knew this was the end. _

_Raven and Alice cried out to me, their open mouths revealing elongated canines. Fangs.  
I took a deep breath and prepared myself for never ending darkness._

I awoke in horror; a gurgle of a scream escaped my lips as I bolted upright in my bed. Just as fast as I woke up though, a white hand ghosted around my mouth and pulled me back onto a hard chest. "Annabel, Annabel. It's okay. It was only a dream, love. You're here. With me. You're safe," Damir's voice soothed my frazzled nerves, but as I peered out my window I thought I saw a pair of eyes. Green with a menacing rim of blood red. They blinked at me- then were gone. Savannah Cat's eyes.

I knew then that I wasn't safe. Not with Damir. Not with Mira (who was currently curled up on my left leg, purring comfortingly). But I didn't know _why_. I only leaned in closer to Damir's chest and prayed for liberation from an unseen- unknown evil. I only knew it was coming. Coming soon. Coming for _me_.

"Damir?" I whispered, half afraid he'd be asleep.

"Yes?"

I breathed one silent sigh of relief, then took the plunge. "Is there no way _at all _that Raven and Alyce can become vampires?"

Damir was silent for a long time. I kept my gaze stubbornly on a poster of Paramore of the wall. Studying Hayley's world famous hair and the etched words underneath the poster soothed me a little. Some of the lyrics were there, along with some of their album names. Finally Damir took a deep breath and said, "Yeah, they can."

I let that sink in for a moment. My heart spluttered with hope that I wouldn't be alone. I mean, yeah there's Damir, and I'm sure a lot of other vampire chicks are awesome but Raven and Alyce were my people. They were there. Always. They understood the un-understandable. They were my musketeers. My sisters. And parting with them would be inexcusable. My eternal death would be welcomed faster than the separation from the only two souls who were connected to my own dark soul. Then I breathed in the air, reveling in the lightness of it. The lightness of myself.

Mira pranced around, catching small dust balls in the air. But at the same time Erik and Damir watched me with the deepest pity imaginable. I noticed that the silver air that coated my body like the finest silk didn't extend to Damir. The aura around him was blacker than midnight without stars or a moon. I calmed down immediately, allowing the hope I had felt melt away like it was never there. Likewise, Mira walked over to my lap and lay down, peering anxiously at Damir.


	17. Chapter 17: The Legend

**m'kay guys. here's the problem. yeah i'm uploading all my stuff now but chappie 17 is as far as i've got right now so don't go crazy if i can't upload more for a few weeks. i am sorry and please forgive me eventually! i'll work as fast as i can with school and family goin' on. see ya'll round. bye! oh, and thank you so much for reading and sticking with me! I would've given up without you all but i'm back at work!**Chapter seventeen: The Legend

* * *

Damir grimaced as he shared a loaded look with Erik. Even though I had known about soul cats for only half a day, it didn't seem weird when Damir exchanged whispers with Erik (well, okay, I admit on Erik's side it was mewling but c'mon!) I sighed with exhaustion.

"You should get some sleep," Damir said suddenly, looking up at me with a blank look in his eyes.

"_You_ should tell me how to save my frien-"

"_Save? _Did you forget _why _vampires are feared? They. Drink. _Blood! _Did you not catch that in my story? Annabel! I almost killed that girl on the highway! I almost killed _you!_" He lunged forward suddenly, gripping my shoulders in his strong hands. "I _want _to kill you," he growled, obviously straining against his darker side. His eyes flashed as they took on a rusty color. "Your. Blood. Your. Life._ Your. Soul._"

"Is suddenly more precious to you than anything you've ever known," I recited, quickly regaining my voice to sloppily quote Lestat in _Queen of the Damned._

He chuckled without humor, but his hands no longer gripped my shoulders. They slid down my arms to hold my hands. He bowed his head, depression weaving its way out of the weak box he tried to shut it in. Gently I freed my right hand to smooth away his raven-black hair from his shoulders. With my left I pulled his face up to mine.

"I love you," I whispered again, willing my voice to be filled with determination. His eyes danced though they were still heavy with the burden he carried. Would they ever lighten? Would mine once I was Changed?

Damir studied my face and nodded once.

"The King and Queen, it is said, have the power to change humans to vampires," his voice deepened as he retold the ancient words. I waited with bated breath as the tale unfolded before me. "The Queen had a sister, Adina. Like Calantha, Adina was mortal; human. The Queen wept for days and days on end that she would have to watch her sister grow old and die. King Eneid, unable to see his love in such a state of depression and agitation, decided to pray to the gods for help,"

"The gods?" I whispered, awe in voice like some small child listening to a bedtime story.

"Yes. In our King's time there were many gods. He still prays to them for guidance each day. But back to our tale… the king prayed for a solution to his wife's pain. One day, on the eve of Calantha's own change, as King Eneid looked at Adina, he felt venom flow into his mouth with every beat of her blood-filled heart and knew that the gods had answered his prayers. He went to Calantha, who was still pale and withdrawn, and asked if he could change her sister.

"She looked him in the eyes and said with an even voice, 'Are you implying that I would stay human and my sister would become immortal?' 'No. I'm telling you, my love, that I can Change you both.' 'Will you lie with her?' 'Never.' Then tears sprang into her eyes and she embraced her king and love, showering him with kisses of joy and exaltation.

"They went forth and firstly Changed Calantha, then promptly Adina. All King Eneid had to do was to bite Adina and, since she was already willing, the next morning she was one of us without the need of a husband. Years later she found a human male of her own and so they produced. Queen Calantha and King Eneid have the most sacred of powers though. They alone have the gift of eternal creation… they currently produce one new vampire prince or princess a year… without the biting."

He paused, eyeing me for my reaction. I simply yawned and snuggled up beneath my covers. Sleepily I mumbled, "That was a crappy ending," I heard Damir's throaty chuckle as he settled down beside me.

The clock read four o' seven 'am' and I knew what I was going to do. I would beg the king and queen for Raven and Alyce's eternal life. I would put myself into their slavery for the chance that, one day, I and my sisters would all be free and all be living together forever. It was a dream… but one I hoped to make true.


	18. Chapter 18: The Morning

**Hello! it's me and no, i haven't dropped off the face of the earth. My beta hasn't been able to review and edit my chapters lately so I've been trying to hold off on updating. But alas, stories can only wait so long. So, with the return of my muse comes the return of Damir and Annabel. :) have fun and please review!**

Chapter eighteen: The Morning

I woke up feeling strangely well rested. Sure I got sleep all the time but this was different. I was awake. I was ready to face the world and all the stupid discriminating popular kids with it. But I dreaded the fact that it was Monday. School awaited me, and in the school walls I would be separated from Damir forever. I would not see him for six hours of my life. And Mira too! They didn't allow cats inside the school, let alone shape shifting, talking ones.

Deflated, I opened my eyes. Beside me in the bed was nothing but messed up sheets and a wadded up pillow.

"Damir?" I gasped, rising swiftly. "Damir, are you here?" No answer. I floundered with my sheets, finally standing up and dashing around my room. Then I spied the note on my bedside table. I grasped it with trembling fingers and read it.

'I'm sorry, love. The forecast said it might be sunny today. Although I'm not going to literally burn up, it will be nearly impossible to see for the brightness of the sun. Also my sensitive skin can make it feel one-hundred times hotter than you would feel. I'll be back as soon as possible though. I love you. Damir'

I smiled a small bit… then sighed. Today would be a hell of a long day without my newly discovered vamp-mate beside me. I rubbed my forehead. A pounding headache had begun to set in.  
Hey, it's okay, Annabel. Just be calm. I'm here, remember? I grinned down at Mira, who, in turn purred encouragingly in my ear. "Yeah, I know, but you'll be gone all day too. They don't allow cats in school, remember, small one?" Yeah… but you do have your tote bag… Mira left off suggestively. If I was in an anime book they would've drawn me with little pricked-up cat ears and bright, hopeful eyes.  
"Great idea!" I scrambled off the bed and grabbed my school bag. Some books fell out as I dragged it up to me and they scattered among the other mess on my floor. My bag was Jack Skellington themed with numerous Korn and Slipknot buttons adorning the straps. Every few weeks a button would come loose and I'd have to make a quick trip to Hot Topic to pick up another one… or two. Gently, I lifted Mira into the bag, only to have her head stubbornly stick out. I sighed.  
"Don't suppose you could turn into a stuffed cat…"  
She smiled faintly, her whiskers twitching. No, but if you could think kiddie-themed thoughts I think I could be kitten-sized again.  
"Alright… but I'll need some help from my sisters." I thought aloud, remembering with a grin how five-year-old we could get with just three bottles of coca-cola, a bag of sour punch kids, and our late-night jokes. "And I need to get ready for school and eat something!"  
I left Mira on the bed and ran around my room, cursing at myself when I looked at the time. I opened my closet, half-expecting to see Damir curled at the floor of it, sleeping away the day. I shook my head, silently berating myself for being so foolish. I reached for a shirt that had the words 'Chill out… I only bite Goths' with a small pair of fangs underneath. I'd paid twenty-dollars for it at a mall in Wisconsin. Crappy place. Filled with Gothic wanna-be's and twitchy mothers who constantly gasped at the liberal use of 'bad words.' I smirked and muttered under my breath, quoting the immortal words of the all-time best comedian: George Carlin. "Those are the words that'll infect your soul, curve your spine, and keep the allies from winning the war,"  
When I had myself all assembled and ready to go I scooped up Mira and let her ease herself into my bag. Then I pranced down the stairs, trying to ease my bouncing for Mira's sake. "There you are, Annabel! I was waiting for you. Your father's getting impatient."  
I stifled my immediate response of 'shit' and kissed my mom's cheek instead.

"Thanks Mom," I faked a smile and walked over to the table. My father had set down some eggs and was busy digging into his plate. I fought my sigh and gently sat down, trying to wipe the last of the sleepiness out of my eyes.

"Glad you got up finally!" My dad exclaimed when he noticed I had sat down.

I wrestled with another sigh and said, "Sorry. I had to find some homework," He just sighed and turned back to his plate, devouring the eggs. I tried to make myself eat but Damir's absence was like a thorn in my foot- I just kept thinking about it and forgot everything else.

When I managed to get on the bus I was already exhausted. Wearily I made my way past plenty of my noisy schoolmates- some who succeeded in getting spitballs in my hair- and sat down on the seat after Raven and Alyce's.

Raven and Alyce were still public at school. They held hands and hugged and even kissed when the teacher was turned away… but it came at a price. It made them extremely defensive of their relationship because they went through hell for it. The teasing and gossip was nonstop. But they had a coping mechanism-if anybody dared to say something in their earshot, they'd only make themselves more public.

Today was one of those days though, that they didn't need an excuse to kiss. When I got there Raven was enthusiastically kissing Alyce.

"Umm, hello?" I asked, poking Raven's back. When that didn't work I sneakily reached, pinched a bit of her shirt, and _popped _her bra strap.

She sat up at attention, then seeing me, shot a scowl in my direction before pointedly nibbling Alyce ear. She giggled back and I had enough.

I plopped down on my seat, turning sideways so my back was against the cool steel wall of the bus and my combat boots dangled in the aisle. With my ear phones in and my black hood all the way up, I tried to fend off the familiar sting of tears. "Damn school."


	19. Chapter 19: The Savior

Chapter nineteen: The Savior

Not bothering to conceal a giant yawn, I trudged into my high school and fought the people to get to my locker. Blindly, I spun the dial, hoping my fingers would remember the combination I had long since forgotten. But then I heard a tiny meow from my bag. "Mira! I almost forgot you, baby!"

I opened the bag and peered down, Mira was her normal size again and cramping herself down to make sure no one saw her. I laughed a bit and tried to maneuver around her to place my larger books in my locker. Mira showed a very good skill of dodging and ducking and by the time I was ready for class we were laughing quietly to ourselves, Mira kitten-sized again.

"Why so happy, Anna-_bile_?" A familiar voice sounded beside my ear.

I took a deep breath and braced myself for the annoying, blonde-haired, blue-eyed jerk behind me. "Is that the best you can do, _Gregory_?" I hissed, drawing out his first name.

A flash of annoyance sparked in his ice-blue eyes before he drawled, "I told you not to call me that. Name's Lance, Annabel," he took a menacing step closer to me, his sparkling white teeth reminding me of a piranha's. "Besides, you have _no idea _what I could do to you…. In fact, you might even enjoy it…" I separated my eyes from his, hating every inch of him and internally quaking at the prospect that he may follow through on his threat. I knew him enough to be assured that he'd never actually rape me in the hallway… but on the way home from school…

Involuntarily I remembered the first time I'd angered Gregory. I was in sixth grade and I spilt my cherry flavored Kool-Aide right down his ironed, pristine white shirt. I'd paid for the dry-cleaning of course (taking about two months of my allowance) and made sure I stayed out his way, but it didn't matter. Since that day he'd gone out of his way to make my life Hell. He'd hunt down my locker and vandalize it, blaming everything on me, and then would turn around and tear my jeans or shirt. Come to think of it, I had one of my jackets on that he'd ripped a gaping hole in the sleeve not too long ago.

But Gregory was unaware of my reverie. He had me plastered against the lockers, his fingertips brushing my hips. His touch didn't spark the fire in my stomach like Damir's touch did. He caused shivers and nausea instead. "Get away from me, Gregory." I hissed.

He breathed in my ear, "I told you not to call me that, whore," Now that stung. Tears leapt into my eyes and tickled my nose and I fought the urge to cry right there in my nemesis' arms. Oh, God, how I hated every hair on his head! He bit down on my ear, hard. "Now, call me by that name again…. Go on! Try it again you little fucking skank,"

"Gregory, let her go," I froze. No one called Gregory that except for me, Raven and Alyce. They were all the way across school, in their classroom by this time, besides- this voice was male!

Gregory recognized that particular fact too, and turned around, ready to defend his territory. But he was most definitely unprepared for what he now faced. The new guy was about six feet, with blond hair, dyed black at the tips. His ears had piercings in them to no end and he rocked a leather jacket. Dark eyeliner and a sinister smirk proclaimed him as a force to be reckoned with.

But Gregory was stupid. Really stupid. He pulled back one hand to slap Punk Guy in the face only to have his wrist trapped in a death hold. In one motion Punk Guy had twisted Gregory's hand over the neatly combed, blonde head and behind his back. Gregory whimpered as he got a mouthful of locker. Punk Guy leaned in close to Gregory's ear, whispering menacingly, "Now, let's get this clear, _whore_" he twisted Gregory's wrist painfully and I thought I heard my old nemesis sob a bit. "You are not to touch Annabel, talk to Annabel, or look at Annabel for as long as I'm around. Understand… skank?"I wasn't sure but I thought I glimpsed a smile from Punk Guy as Gregory whimpered again. Apparently satisfied, Punk Guy released Gregory and allowed the crying boy to run away, clutching his wrist to his chest.

But as Punk Guy turned toward me, Gregory faded into my 'never worry about again' list. Punk Guy's eyes glowed a terrible, seething, _hungry _red and his lips, when they stretched into a twisted smirk, exposed canines- fully elongated from the gums. I involuntarily took a long step back, and wincing when my back came in contact with steel lockers. He grinned as if mocking my reaction.

"I would think you'd be used to fangs and red-eye and all that," he said with a slight British accent. "After all, your boyfriend doesn't seem like a man to…" he searched for the right words to say, restlessly tossing his head around, "well, let's just say keep his _darker side in_."

I gasped, not because he knew Damir's secret- or the fact that he also knew Damir was my boyfriend, but the fact that Punk Guy's eyes had changed. Where the blood-chilling red had been, now was a sea-foam green. Only the outer rim remained a bright, menacing red. "Yeah," he said, flipping a shock of his blond, black-tipped hair back and leaning against the locker beside me. "My eyes are always like this. I tell everybody it's contacts… they don't like to look close enough to prove me wrong. I don't like to give them," he flashed a hint of fang, "a _chance_ to get that close."

I simply kept staring, wide-eyed at him. Several skulls poked out of his ears and along the upturned collar of his black leather jacket. An eyebrow ring waved at me as Punk Guy waggled his eyebrows, getting closer to my face. "So… you gonna say somethin'?" he straightened up, laughing a bit to himself. "'Hi, I'm Annabel.' 'Hi Annabel, how you doin?' 'Oh, can't complain. Say, what's your name?' 'My official name's Jacob but most call me Jake.'"

Trying to act like I didn't care, I rolled my eyes and puffed out a sigh. Then, I turned to him full on and asked, "So, why are in Minneapolis? And why did you stand up to Gregory?"

Jake leaned in close to me, his sea-green eyes soft and gentle. "Why would I not? He was hurting you. I won't stand for it." He straightened up quickly then and I saw why.

Mrs. Phillips, our vice principal, was storming over, ready to kick some ass and take some names- in that order. Gregory tagged along in her shadow, acting like Jake had shattered his hand or something. Mrs. Phillips had a head full of bleach-blonde hair. It should've been gray by now since Mrs. Phillips must've been seventy-something. Her eyes were a washed out, pale blue- like Gregory's. I should've known that little Gregory would go straight to her. Why not? He had diplomatic immunity, seeing that Mrs. Georgia Phillips was his grandmother. Cheating son-of-a-bitch.

I plastered a fake grin on my face and waited for the waddling lady to come to a rest, huffing and puffing, in front of us. The bell rang loudly, and most of the kids had forgotten their time limit in favor of watching the 'scene' before them. A lot of students hurried away, cursing under their breath at themselves for receiving a tardy.

"What is going on here?" Mrs. Phillips asked harshly. Gregory grinned evilly behind her shoulder.

I resisted the urge to make a face at him under the pretense of being childish- but that didn't stop Mira from letting out a low hiss. Mrs. Phillips glanced around, but focused back on me when I said, "Nothing ma'am, just a… minor skirmish."

"I see." The woman resounded, "A skirmish… one that would result in a sprained wrist, and a bruised gut?"

"Fuck that!" Jake let out, a stormy expression spreading quickly over his face.

Mrs. Phillips looked shocked… and bored at the same time. "Now, see here-"

"That prick was lying! I never punched his gut and, trust me, if I had, he'd not be walking for a hell of a long time!" Jake snarled angrily. No one could even begin to doubt him. The way he looked at Gregory and his grandmother confirmed that. I stood, mute and transfixed, with the kind of fascination people used to rubber neck at car crashes.

Gregory drew himself up to his full height (which was only up to Jake shoulder) and had the spunk to say, "I didn't say it was you who punched me!" Then he turned around- and I could swear I was watching this through slow motion- and he extended his arm. That stupid arm that many girls fawned over but was as skinny as a rake. And he pointed at me.

"She punched me." he said quietly with a smirk of triumph.

My eyes popped in my head. 'Damn that brat. No one's gonna believe me… whatever. I'm not going down without a fight.' "I punched him in self defense," I blurted. Jake turned to me in mute shock. 'What the hell?' his expression cried. I ignored him.

"Oh, indeed. And what made you feel the need to defend yourself?" Mrs. Phillips arched her nose into the air, doing a very good impression of Mr. Penguin from the Batman comics.

I cast around for something to use. "He- he- threatened to rape me!" At the last moment I remembered why I was against the cool metal of my locker and the reason this all started anyway. Mrs. Phillips gave me a questioning glare. "He pushed me up against the locker and was touching me… and…" I gave up. She wasn't buying this at all.

My eyes wandered down to my scuffed and muddy boots. Of course she wouldn't. Why would she believe her sweet, smart, popular boy would want to have sex with me- the ripped jeans, the disheveled hair, the chewed fingernails girl? I was a boy repellent and no one would ever believe otherwise.

"So, you're saying my grandson was making advances on _you?_ I think it'd me more likely for _you_ to make advances on _him_." I almost laughed but I was too frustrated. "He's the captain on the soccer team," 'like he earns any muscles from it' "He has one of the best averages in the class," 'like he doesn't make the smart kids do his work for him' "And he's handsome enough to make you look like the luckiest girl ever to be by his side. You knew that and you tried to lure him into a deal like… say… sexual favors from you and a popular boost from him? Like my grandson would take up with such a girl. A common slut."

I bit my cheek so hard I tasted blood, trying not to cry. I would put up with all the fucking counseling she wanted and all the detentions she could give, only if she never saw me cry. I gathered my hands into fists, digging against my palm with my nails, fighting an impossible war.

But it was no use. A tear fell and splashed against the tile floor. Without a word, I turned away from the three people watching me, and stalked away. I heard Mrs. Phillips calling to me to come back here and 'by God I'll call your parents' but I ignored her. Then I heard Jake growling at the pair of them… a hungry vampire.

I let Jake alone on this particular hunt.


	20. Chapter 20: The Anger

Chapter twenty: The Anger

When I could see the door to the bathroom I forgot to walk slowly- I sprinted to the door and threw my weight against it, swinging it open. The tears spilled over in large amounts on my cheeks as I pushed past a few girls that took to smoking in the bathroom during class. One of them I was almost-friends with and she came to the stall door as I slammed it.

"Annabel? Are you okay?" she was a sweet girl mostly, and her voice was soft and complacent as she tried to dig into my problems.

I almost felt bad when I growled back at her, "Do I look like I'm fucking okay?" My throat was clogged by tears and my voice came out raspy and thick. I felt the sobs beginning to come forward. At this point I wasn't about to let everyone in the school know I could, in fact cry, so I curled up in a ball on the bathroom floor and continued to dig my nails in palms. With a shaky voice I commanded, "Get out right now. All of you get the hell out of here."

"Yeah, what would you do if we didn't?" One of Gregory's exes sneered.

My blood boiled with a hatred and pain so intensely deep it cleared away all sense of reason. I was a wounded animal and by God they were going to leave me alone! I stood and slowly undid the bolt in the stall. The hair I had tried to arrange this morning was now in tangles and my face was pale and blotched. With fresh tears sliding down my cheeks and my brown eyes flashing fire, I was terrifying. I stalked up to the girl and stared straight into her hazel eyes.

"I will tell everyone how you're not a virgin anymore. How you lost your virginity to a math teacher in seventh grade so he'd give you an A. I will tell everyone how you smoke in here during class and how you take pictures of yourself naked and send it to your boyfriends. I will tell everyone how you're not really straight. I will tell everyone you're bi-" She turned and ran out of the bathroom, tears staining _her _cheeks.

The other girls looked at me with fear in their eyes, wondering if I knew their deepest secrets and if I knew their worst thoughts. I stared each of them down, experiencing a slight sense of victory when they fled, dropping their half-finished cigarettes in the sink. Then there was only me left and I sank down on the cold tiled floor of the bathroom and let the sobs come.

Mira came padding over to me in a lynx form and laid down beside me. I grabbed a fist-full of her hair and dragged myself over to her. There I buried my head in her long, soft fur and let my humiliation and shame take over me.

_'Annabel, I'm here.'_

I started at the soft voice touching my mind. "Mira?" She only purred a bit, and whispered, _'It's Damir, he's Whispering you. A vampire trick.' _"Okay… how do I work this?" Mira chuckled. _'Think of Damir's face or something special that's strongly implanted in your mind… then think.' _I closed my eyes and tried to summon something about Damir. His touch. Yes, that was strong: I could almost feel his hand over mine and the brush of his lips against my hair.

_'Damir?'_

_ 'Yes.'_

_ 'How'd you know?'_

_ 'That you were hurting? My heart is yours, My Love.'_

_ 'Oh… thanks?'_

Damir chuckled, then resumed, _'What is wrong, Annabel?'_

_ '…Gregory, Mrs. Phillips, girls… the fact you're not here…'_

_ 'Oh, but I am, didn't you hear?' _

_ 'Oh… yeah. Right.'_

_ 'Ah… feel that?'_

_ 'What?'_

Damir's voice sounded relaxed, soft. _'The clouds are back over the sun. Don't you feel cooler?'_

_ 'Actually… I sorta do… but I'm lying on a tile floor.'_

He sighed. _'Come home. A day from school won't hurt; just so long as it is not a habit.'_

_ 'On my way.'_

I let my memory of Damir's touch fade as I eagerly got up. I scowled at my still red and swollen face in the mirror but picked up my backpack and let Mira take her usual shape. This time I let her walk normally at my side instead of cramming her inside my pack. A few of the secretaries in the office stared at me as I walked out the door. I waved and smiled reassuringly. They had never seen me in the office for causing trouble so they let me go. I was lucky that no one noticed the Chartruex cat following in my shadow as I peacefully made my way into the cloudy day.


	21. Chapter 21: The Walk

Chapter twenty-one: The Walk

My house was a good fifteen minute ride from school so it took me about thirty minutes to make the walk. On my way I had plenty of time to meditate on why I was so upset about Gregory and Mrs. Phillips. Gregory I knew I could handle—but Mrs. Phillips was another matter. I'd be okay if all the students turned against me (with the exception of Raven and Alyce of course) but I didn't know about the teachers. If the teachers suddenly hated me then I'd be in big trouble. I played the scenario in my mind; Act one- dirty looks. Act two- bad grades. Act three- parental involvement.

I stopped at act three.

Then I wondered at my skipping school. I'd never done that before. In fact, I'd always been a kind-of voice of sanity to my friends and made damn sure they weren't throwing away their future. But here I was, walking along under the cover of the clouds with a talking cat by my side, _and skipping school. _I was so capitally screwed when the school called my parents…

And Damir- the newly found love of my life- was talking to me inside my head. I was willing to try to believe the vampire part (I'd always wanted a vampire love) but voices in my head freaked me out. It wasn't normal or right or, or, or…. I rubbed my head wearily.

"Nothing makes sense anymore…"

"Damn straight!"

I jumped three inches off the ground, whipping my head to my right side.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I half-shrieked, seeing Jake by my side. "I thought you were taking care of Gregory and Mrs. Phillips!"

Jake chuckled, scuffing his over-sized combat boots on the cement side-walk as he began moving again. "Been there, done that Princess." He said, gazing with his green eyes into the cloudy skies. Suddenly I realized he was handsome. Very handsome, in fact. Pointed shocks of blonde hair fell over his face, tips of ebony black blending with his eyeliner. An angular nose pointed softly to the horizon. Gently he drew in his lip ring and toyed with it, running his tongue over the cool metal.

I looked away, cursing under my breath.

"Don't call me princess." I murmured, not wanting to act like a stupid fan girl. I loved Damir- even just this short amount of time with him taught me that- but Jake was a dangerous being, one that held mystery and passion—a hard thing for a girl to resist.

"Alright then. I'll just think of some other nick name for you then, eh?" He lightly bumped my shoulder and laughed. I sulked in silence, still too run down by Mrs. Phillips' assumption to say anything more.

"So, where're we going?" he asked idly a few moments later.

I sighed and irritably answered, "_I'm _going to my house."

Jake simply said, mockingly, "To be with your nice new boyfriend."

My spine bristled at his tone. "Yes. My handsome, charming, _sweet _boyfriend that cares about me."

Jake stopped and stared, trapping me in his eyes. A wistful look passed into face, as he tenderly whispered, "I care about you too, Annabel. And I would never let you go to school alone to face them. I would never leave your side. Not for the world…" My head spun with his breath and his sudden openness. A part of me cried out in resentment, but that part was silenced by the pleasant mist sweeping through my brain.

He took a step closer, bending down to breath into my neck, inhaling my fragrance and exhaling his own. My legs were screaming at me to run, to get away to someplace safe in Damir's arms but they could only tremble in place. "I wouldn't have to leave you alone and helpless while the sun broke upon your skin," he whispered seductively into my ear, his breath dancing across my skin like smoke tendrils. A place inside of me knew this was vampire magic but I didn't care right then. Right then all I wanted was to pull Jake to me and dig my face into his well-worn leather jacket.

Then Jake stepped away, grinning mockingly. I was dizzy and confused. Passion heated my skin and the smoky-tendrils of his breath traced my neck and shoulders. "Ask Damir about sunlight. It's an interesting thing," He shined his fangs at me and disappeared into a darkened street. The punk vampire's ardent whispers tangled in my hair, dipping and sighing like pining lovers.

Dazedly I looked around, realizing we had walked home without me realizing it. I shook my head vigorously and stepped inside my front door trying to forget everything but Damir.


	22. Chapter 22: The Weakness

**Hello, my lovely readers and (maybe? hopefully?) fans. :) another chappie up! Some more DamirxAnnabel for you! my dearest beta is still out of commission... kinda. so please excuse any mistakes. i'm terrible at editing. ^^''**

Chapter twenty-two: The Weakness

"Damir?" I lightly called as I stepped inside my room. Mira agilely leaped onto my bed and stepped over to a black ball on my pillow. I heard her purr as she nudged Erik awake. He looked up at her, his emerald eyes shining sleepily into her amber ones. Without a word, Mira settled down beside him and let him nuzzle her affectionately. Softly I looked at the pair on the bed, the way they were laying was in the yin-yang symbol. Idly I wondered if Damir and I weren't like that too. What did people see when they looked at us? Damir's tall height and soft blue eyes- my own small, stick stature and hidden brown eyes.

Just then, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist. "Hey there," Damir whispered softly. I jumped a little before trying to casually shrug out of his embrace.

"Hi," I smiled. Then I gave up the attempt to be cool and blushed a bit. By the look on Damir's face, he hadn't noticed my brush off.

"What?" he asked, his sweet voice ringing with curiosity. I looked down at my cluttered floor, thinking back to my last boyfriend – my first and, until now, my last – and muttered to a pile of discarded books, "Gregory does something similar when no one's around… it's freaks me out a bit. Having people come up behind me like that and trap me just-" I couldn't think of any particular words so I just shuddered.

Damir nodded. "Ah. Well, note to self"- he tapped his temple – "No sneak-up back-hugs." I grinned shyly.

"Sorry…" I kind-of whispered.

I heard his heavy combat boots pound the floor as he scuffled over to me. I gulped and self-consciously raised my head, trying to gather my courage and let it show in my eyes. In the deep recesses of my mind, I prayed a silent prayer to whatever would listen that he wouldn't read just how shy I was and just how shallow I was when I let those jerks at school hurt me. But he knew I knew that he did. No matter how much of a front I put up around my friends, the moment I tried to be strong around anyone I truly loved with all my heart my eyes gave me away.

"Why are you so weak?" he blurted out. I knew from his face that he hadn't mean to say it- it had slipped out. But I also knew that he was honestly confused by my complete inability to believe in myself and my mello-dramatic tendencies.

I ducked my head again, murmuring "I don't know. I truly don't. All my life I've told myself that I was nothing- no one- to anyone… and now that you have come along I feel like I _mean _something now. I just can't seem to stop old habits."

Damir gently wrapped his arms around me. I let myself snuggle into his embrace; a soft grin flitted across my face. "Annabel, I don't know if you realize what you are. Raven and Alyce… they need you. At least Raven does. She depends on you for comfort with anything she feels uncomfortable with Alyce. Raven and you are so tightly woven together that I think you both can't see how much you two lean against each other." Gently, he rubbed circles on my back with the flat of his palm.

A flicker of an epiphany ran across my mind, but before I could delve deeper into it Damir resumed. I felt his soft, deep cadence rumble from his chest in time with his heart. Closing my eyes, I tried to listen to what he said. "And your parents, Annabel, they need you too. You are their only child- if you left them what do think would happen? Your father would find some way to blame himself. Depression and anger would ruin this house….and your parents within it." I shuddered against the picture in my mind. Then a small thought slipped into my mind, bringing a thrill of terror.

"Damir?" I whispered, looking up into his soft blue eyes. For a moment the kindness that shone in their depths like a bright sapphire that stole my breath, but I quickly forged on. "What will happen to my parents? They won't believe us. They'll put us in an asylum or something of that sort. And I don't want to leave them," I admitted this last part sullenly, the prick of raw tears catching me off guard. "I love them so so very much and… well… I just don't know how I can be their daughter and be a married vampiress at the same time."

Damir sighed, and gently brought me down beside him to sit on the bed. "I can't answer that, my love. I've never had to think of that before…" I racked my mind, thinking of how I could tell them in a way that they would understand. But of course such things eluded me and my mind turned to –forgive me – the lies I could tell instead.

Finally, I gave up and looked up at my vampire boyfriend. He seemed so sure of everything. So sweet and kind and he'd never try to pressure me into something that felt wrong. My thoughts cut to Jake: his hard-edged accent, the way his clothes filled you with a sense of danger… his vampire magic. He was the rich chocolate cake that everyone wanted, but only a few would eat and be able to stomach. Jake was decadent and sensual and _black. _Right down to his soul, Jake was evil. I felt that innately. And I knew that he would stick in my mind like a burr.

"My dad was once a mortal too," Damir began. It had been so silent in my room that I jumped. A twinge of guilt pressed on my mind. I had no business thinking of Jake when Damir was right beside me! When Damir was holding my hand! A tad more than a little ashamed of myself, I looked up at Damir, and gently nudged him with my elbow. That encouraged him to go on and he continued, albeit reluctantly, "We can ask him what he did to tell his parents… or if he decided that the best choice was _not _to tell them."

A grateful grin lit my face and I grabbed for my cell only to be met with Damir's own. I looked up at him, a question in my face. "What?" he asked, a small smile on his glorious lips.

"Umm… nothing… I guess I didn't expect vampires to have cell phones…" Damir first chortled, and then laughed, then built up to a full out hooting, snorting, hysterical fit. I looked at him in surprise, but it wasn't long before I was laughing too. Soon enough I was on my back on the floor and Damir was doubled over on my bed, tears streaming down our faces.

Slowly we regained our composure… right before the sun peeked out from the clouds. A soft stream of golden light laced Damir's cheek, revealing sea green highlights in his blue-sky eyes. His rose lips that were still parted in a soft smile shown with unbearable kindness. His long raven locks lit with luminous rainbows – impossible to see in the dark.

But just as fast as the sun's rays illuminated his tender features, shadows reclaimed them as he shrank back. A low hiss of pain shot through his bared fangs. When he looked back at me, the eyes that shone with so much sweetness cut me through with daggers. His eyes were a tortured, agonized, rusted red. My heart ripped open at that moment.

"You look like you belong in the sunlight," sighed Damir. Tears gently slipped out of my eyes.

Feeling my own skin began to get hot, I moved back to the caressing chill of the shadows. I wanted to say, "You do too," but instead I choked out, "Thanks. Cellphone?" The blood rushed to my face as I refused to meet Damir's eyes.

"Yeah, sure." He murmured. A small Motorola landed in my outstretched palm. I looked at the already open list of contacts and noticed that there were only five contacts… one whose name I knew.

I looked up him, my eyes curious. "Damir, what's with you and Jake? I mean, I figured you two met since he knew a lot about you but… ermm… Damir?" His face had turned pale and drawn as he drew even farther into the shadows.

"You've met Jake?" he whispered, an bitter edge I couldn't identify sharpening his silk voice.

"Yeah… he came to my rescue when Gregory… ermm," definitely not a good subject to start right now, "I asked you first."

Damir drew a sharp breath as he suddenly straightened off the bed. He plunged across the sliver of light still splayed across my room and stood above me, looking down. In the dim light his eyes glowed a hazy purple. "Came to _your rescue? _God damn it!" he cried out, pounding a fist against my Seether poster. "Why would he come here? Why _now! _Now so close to having a life again! Damn him! _Damn him!_" He shook with the force of his anger and I felt waves of it streaming off of him, adrenaline burst into my blood stream.

I stood and placed one trembling hand on his shoulder but with lighting speed he shook it off and stepped back. "I'm going to kill him," he murmured. "no more excuses, no more pity. He's gone too far…"

"Damir…" I hoarsely whispered. "Please calm down, okay? It's not a big deal. He just talked to me. No big. He didn't try any moves or say anything like that, alright? We're okay. I'm okay. Just please calm down!" I fervently hoped that my trembling voice would be a cover for too-sweet voice I invariably used when lying.

"Annabel, if he hurts you…. If he ruins this…."

"Which he won't. Now, shush so I can call your father, then we can lay all this out on the table and figure out the next step to un-complicating this mess." I once again picked up his phone and scrolled down the contacts to a James Reynard. I showed it to Damir who, while being silent, was still sulkily pacing the refuse on the floor. He nodded once and I hit 'call'. As the phone rang in my ear, I controlled my suddenly shaking knees. I was about to talk to Damir's vampire father. Ah hell.


End file.
